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Powered by Guideline. Connected with QuickBooks.

See how our 401(k) plans and tools can meet your business needs and your budget.1

Starter 401(k) | Safe Harbor 401(k) | Tax credit calculator | State mandate finder

  • 1

    Connect with QuickBooks

  • 2

    Choose your plan

  • 3

    Complete setup

Get started

Intuit is not a client of Guideline. Guideline pays a fee for each 401(k) & SEP IRA client referred by Intuit as outlined in our written arrangement with Intuit. We'll provide additional disclosures prior to opening an account with Guideline. See our Privacy Policy to learn how we use and protect your information.2

401(k) Conversion Plans
Traditional IRA, Rollovers and Roth IRA
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How payroll and a 401(k) work together

Our platform will securely sync your QuickBooks Payroll and Guideline 401(k) data every 24 hours — automating payroll deductions, employee onboarding, and more.3

  • Seamless plan management

    401(k) contributions are automatically deducted each pay run. No need to maintain deductions or manually re-enter payroll data.

  • Easy employee onboarding

    When employees become eligible to join the plan, we’ll notify and enroll them on your behalf — and provide full support along the way.
  • Predictable employer costs
  • Exempt from IRS testing
  • State mandate compliant

Meet the Starter 401(k)

Starter is our newest pricing tier and provides a simplified benefit at an affordable price. It was designed to qualify as a Starter 401(k) — a new type of retirement plan introduced by Congress in 2022.4Learn more
Safe Harbor can help you and your team

80% of our QuickBooks customers choose to open a Safe Harbor plan.5 These popular plans require an employer contribution like a 401(k) match, but in exchange, they satisfy most IRS nondiscrimination tests.6

Learn more about Safe Harbor
  • Compliance protections
  • Less admin time7
  • Maximized savings

Guideline 401(k) plans start at $39/month, plus $4 per participant.

See pricing

Have a state mandate? We have your back.
Find your state’s requirements and deadlines. A Guideline 401(k) can help you meet your mandate and more.4

Guideline at a glance

  • 50K+
    business clients9
  • $15B+
    invested for retirement on our platform9
  • Fintech 50
    Forbes 202210
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Everyone has a future.
Now everyone can invest in one.

Explore plans

Contact us

  • 1
    401(k) offerings are provided and administered by Guideline, an independent third party and not provided by QuickBooks. QuickBooks is not a 401(k) plan administrator, fiduciary or other provider.
  • 2
    By selecting “Get started,” you agree for Intuit to share certain company data with Guideline to begin your Guideline 401(k) plan setup, subject to Intuit's Third-Party Data Sharing Policy and the terms presented to you during the setup process.
  • 3
    Based on Guideline internal analytics from January 2023 through December 2023.
  • 4
    The information is general in nature and is for informational purposes only. You are advised to consult a qualified financial adviser or tax professional before relying on the information provided herein. Requirements to report your exemption may apply. State program details are subject to change by the state without notice and should be checked prior to making any decisions.
  • 5
    Based on Guideline internal research as of July 2024.
  • 6
    In general, Safe Harbor 401(k) plans automatically satisfy Top Heavy requirements. One exception is for plan years in which the employer makes discretionary contributions (such as profit sharing contributions) in addition to Safe Harbor contributions. Removing Safe Harbor contributions mid-year will also require plans be subject to all compliance testing. All plans of related entities must be administered by Guideline in order to provide compliance testing.
  • 7
    Research insights based on data collected in May 2023, from a survey conducted by Guideline that consisted of 73 current customers (34 of whom had a Safe Harbor 401k plan) Though the survey is broad in scope, the experiences of the respondents in this survey may not be representative of all companies.
  • 8
    This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be taken as tax advice. Please consult a tax professional to determine what types of tax credits or deductions your company is eligible to claim.
  • 9
    As of August 2024
  • 10
    Forbes’ Most Innovative Fintech Companies of 2022
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Guideline.com is owned and operated by Guideline, Inc. (“Guideline”), an SEC-registered investment adviser. Investment-related content is provided for general information purposes only, and is not intended to be construed as investment advice. Investments involve risk and are not guaranteed.

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