retirement plan

Considering a Retirement Plan for Your Business: Tax Advantages and Planning Strategies

If your business has yet to establish a retirement plan, now presents a prime opportunity to do so. Current retirement plan regulations offer substantial benefits through tax-deductible contributions.

For instance, if you’re self-employed, setting up a SEP-IRA allows you to contribute up to 20% of your self-employment earnings, with a cap of $69,000 for 2024 (increased from $66,000 in 2023). For those employed by a corporation they own, contributions of up to 25% of their salary are permissible, also up to $69,000. In a 32% federal income tax bracket, maximizing these contributions could potentially reduce your 2024 tax liability by as much as $22,080 (32% × $69,000).

Exploring Your Options

Various retirement plan options are available for small businesses, including:

• 401(k) plans, which can be tailored for sole proprietors (often referred to as solo 401(k)s),
• Defined benefit pension plans, and
• SIMPLE-IRAs.

The deductible contributions permitted by these plans can vary, depending on your specific circumstances. For instance, in 2024, participants in a 401(k) plan can contribute $23,000, with an additional $7,500 allowed as a catch-up contribution for those aged 50 or older.

Consider Timelines

Thanks to a provision introduced by the 2019 SECURE Act, qualified employee retirement plans (excluding SIMPLE-IRAs) can now be adopted by the due date (including extensions) of the employer’s federal income tax return for the year of adoption. This change allows deductible employer contributions to be made by this same deadline, with deductions claimed on the return for the adoption year.

Key Details

It’s important to note that this provision does not affect the October 1 deadline for establishing a SIMPLE-IRA plan, nor does it override requirements mandating certain plan provisions be active during the plan year, such as those governing employee elective deferral contributions in a 401(k) plan.

For example, for a sole proprietorship operating on a calendar tax year, the deadline to establish a SEP-IRA for the 2023 tax year, with extensions, is October 15, 2024. Similarly, contributions for the 2023 tax year must be made by this date. Looking ahead to the 2024 tax year, the deadline for both establishing a SEP and making contributions is October 15, 2025, with extensions.

While it’s permissible to delay setting up a retirement plan until next year (excluding SIMPLE-IRAs), taking action now as part of your tax strategy can prove advantageous. We can provide further insights into small business retirement plan options tailored to your needs, ensuring compliance with any applicable contribution requirements for your employees.

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