Living with volatility
Living with volatility
We don’t anticipate the market roller coaster will get less bumpy in the second half of 2025.
We don’t anticipate the market roller coaster will get less bumpy in the second half of 2025.
07/08/2025
RETIREMENT PLANNING
A low-cost retirement plan for small business owners
Key points
SEP plans similar to 401(k)s
A SEP plan allows a small business to offer similar retirement packages to 401(k)s which larger companies may offer.
Employee management
Employees oversee how their SEP IRA account is invested.
Small business owners can offer employees (and themselves) a tax-deferred retirement savings plan similar to the plans offered by larger corporations—but without incurring the high start-up and operating costs of a conventional retirement savings plan such as a 401(k).
A simplified employee pension (SEP) plan is similar to corporate retirement plans such as 401(k)s in that:
- Both are funded with pre-tax contributions
- Investments within both plans grow tax-deferred
- Withdrawals in retirement are taxed at your ordinary income rate in the year of the withdrawal
However, there are also some important differences. While 401(k) plans are funded with pre-tax compensation from employees (sometimes supplemented with a full or partial match by the employer), all contributions made to a SEP plan must come from the employer on behalf of the employees. Although a SEP plan is funded with after tax dollars, employer contributions are a deductible business expense.
An employer could make an annual contribution of up to the lesser of 25%1 of each employee’s compensation2 or $69,000 (whichever is less) for 2024 and $70,000 for 2025.
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Here are several other key facts to know about a SEP plan for small business owners:
- If the employer makes contributions on their own behalf, they must also make contributions on behalf of all eligible employees.
- Employees are always 100% vested in (or, have ownership of) all SEP IRA money.
- The employer can adjust the contribution each year as the situation warrants.
- Any employees who are at least age 21 and worked for you at any time in three out of the prior five years must be included in the SEP plan. Employees who earn $750 in 2025 will also be eligible.
- For instance, someone who worked for you in 2021, 2022, and 2023 would be eligible for your plan, and you would be required to make a contribution for him or her for the 2024 plan year.
- If you want to stash away 15% of your compensation for yourself, you must also contribute an amount equal to 15% of that employee’s compensation to his or her SEP IRA. Although the contribution comes directly from the company rather than from the employee’s wages, the employees own and control their own accounts.
- If you are an employee with a SEP IRA account, you can:
- Keep your money in the SEP IRA.
- Transfer your money to another SEP IRA.
- Roll over your money to a traditional IRA, Roth IRA (this is a taxable event), a 401(k), a 403(b), or 457(b) account in which you participate if the receiving plan accepts rollovers.
- Participants must start taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) in the year they turn 73, or 75 if born after 1960, from their SEP IRA account.
- Employees who take a distribution before age 59½ would be required to pay income taxes and possibly a 10% early distribution penalty. The 10% penalty may not be imposed if certain conditions apply, such as a permanent disability. The money may also be used for a down payment for first-time home buyers or to help pay your children’s higher education costs. See the full list of exceptions.
Self-employed individuals can also open a SEP plan for their retirement savings.
RELATED ARTICLES
If you’re self-employed, you can still benefit from a tax-deferred retirement plan
If you’re self-employed, you can open a Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SEP) that may allow you to contribute thousands of dollars each year to a tax-deferred account.
Steps to start planning for retirement now
To start planning for the retirement you want or will be able to afford, you’ll need an idea of your current costs, what they’ll be in the future, and how much income to expect from your investments. From there you can adjust as needed.
How to set up a low-cost retirement plan for your small business
Establishing a SEP plan for your business involves maintaining a plan document. The IRS provides a prototype document called the 5305-SEP, Simplified Employee Pension. That is a matter that you may choose to handle through your tax advisor or on your own. (For more details, see IRS article How do I establish a SEP?)
Once your business has completed the required IRS form, you and your employees will be able to open SEP IRA accounts with a qualified financial institution to receive the contributions and enable participants to invest their funds. While contributions come from the employer, each employee owns and controls their own SEP IRA account.
Thrivent Asset Management offers a SEP IRA account that enables you to choose from all-in-one investments or build your allocations according to your specific objectives. Whether your goal is accumulation or distribution, Thrivent Asset Management offers simple solutions to diversify investments based on your risk tolerance. If you are offering or part of a SEP plan, consider opening a SEP IRA through Thrivent Asset Management to save for your retirement.
1 Self-employed owners who file Schedule C are limited to 20% of net earned income.
2 For Schedule C filers, it would be net earned income; for Schedule C or Sub S Corporation filers, it would be W-2 income.
The information provided is not intended as a source for tax, legal or accounting advice. Please consult with a legal and/or tax professional for specific information regarding your individual situation.
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