Give your employees a roadmap to retirement
With Guideline, you can provide an impactful work benefit while minimizing paperwork and fees.
We handle most of the administrative and regulatory stuff
Government filing
We prepare standard annual reports for no extra fee, including Form 5500 and 1099-R.
Custodial services
We’ll process transactions, execute trades, safeguard plan assets and more.
Compliance testing
We perform nondiscrimination testing to help identify potential issues and manage required corrections.
Recordkeeping
We serve as the recordkeeper to track your 401(k) plan’s balances, transactions, and deferrals.
Customize your plan for your company
Our Starter plan includes the services and features needed for a great benefit. With Core and Enterprise pricing, you can further customize your plan to meet your business goals and team needs.
- Higher employee contribution limits for Core and Enterprise only
- Safe harbor and Roth 401(k) plans
- Profit sharing options
- Vesting schedules
- Eligibility requirements
- Dedicated support
Invest in your team
With an intuitive dashboard and mobile app, it’s easy for your employees to set up their account, track their progress, and access resources—anytime, anywhere.
Easy account setup, via web or mobile app
Recommended investment portfolio
Retirement education and live support
Sync with your favorite payroll software
We’ve teamed up with select payroll providers, to deliver a largely automated 401(k).
Your plan is in good hands
For eligible plans, we serve as the ERISA 3(16) and 3(38) plan fiduciaries—which cover plan administration and investment management. This means we are legally (and morally) obligated to work in participants’ best interest. Learn more
Frequently asked questions
When can the plan start?
While setting up a Guideline 401(k) only takes about 20 minutes, it generally takes 40 days until first contributions are made. This is due to the automatic enrollment feature on all Guideline 401(k) plans, which requires a mandatory 30-day waiting period to allow a sufficient amount of time for eligible employees to opt-out before the plan begins.
What is auto enrollment?
Auto enrollment is a required feature for all Guideline 401(k) plans. With auto enrollment, all eligible employees can choose to opt out of the plan. If an eligible employee takes no action before the stated deadline, they will be automatically enrolled at a predetermined contribution rate. Auto enrollment can help improve IRS nondiscrimination testing results, increase employees’ retirement readiness, and much more. Learn more about auto enrollment
What fees are employers charged?
Employers will be charged $39, $89, or $149/month depending on their pricing plan and $4 to $8/month for each active participant in the plan. We don’t charge transaction fees—this includes no plan termination fees or Form 5500 prep fees. See our pricing. Exclusive pricing options are available for Enterprise pricing plans. Contact sales for details.
Which employees are eligible to participate in the plan?
With Guideline, you can determine your plan eligibility based on your employees’ age and length of service with your company:
→ Age: 18, 19, 20, or 21 years
→ Length of service: 0, 3, 6, 12 months
We do not distinguish between part time and full time employees.
Can participants contribute pre-tax and post-tax funds to their account?
Employees are able to contribute pre-tax or post-tax funds to their account, or a combination of both. All employer contributions are pre-tax only.
How often can changes be made to the plan?
This will depend on your plan design. For example, Safe Harbor plans require changes to the employer matching formula to take place at the start of a new calendar year. Mid-Year changes to Safe Harbor plans can lead to loss of safe harbor protections. Note that any plan changes that result in a modification to the base fee tier are limited to one change during any calendar year. Should you desire to make changes after your plan begins, please contact a Guideline representative for assistance.
Everyone has a future.
Now everyone can invest in one.