Are Individual 401k Contributions 100% Tax Deductible
Yes, salary deferral and profit sharing contributions are generally 100% tax deductible. Roth 401k contributions made with the salary deferral portion of an Individual 401k are not tax deductible.
Subchapter S and C corporations or LLCs electing to be taxed as a corporation can generally deduct the salary deferral contribution from personal W-2 earnings and the profit sharing contribution as a business expense.
A sole proprietorship, partnership or a LLC taxed as a sole proprietorship can generally deduct salary deferral and profit sharing contributions from personal income.
Ira Or Solo 401k Question:
They both allow for investing in alternative investments including real estate, but the solo 401k is generally more advantageous. For example, the contributions limits are higher for a solo 4o1k plan, you can borrow from a solo 4o1k plan, and the ongoing fees are also generally much less. See the following link for more on this.
Rules For Figuring Out Your Solo 401k Contribution
Figuring out how much you can contribute to your solo 401k as the employee is easy. Its the lesser 100% of your contribution or up to $19,500.
Employer contributions can be a little more difficult to figure out. Heres the rule on employer contributions: you can make profit-sharing contributions of up to 25% of your net income from self-employment.
Your net earnings are your net business profit less half of your self-employment tax and employer plan contributions you make for yourself and your spouse. You can find your net income on your tax forms. Its on your tax Schedule C or C-EZ if you are a sole proprietor, and its your w-2 wage if youre an S-Corp.
Read Also: Should I Invest In 401k
Contribution Limit As An Employer
Wearing the employer hat, you can contribute up to 25% of your compensation.
The total contribution limit for a solo 401 as both employer and employee is $58,000 for 2021, and $61,000 in 2022 or 25% of your adjusted gross income, whichever is lower.
People ages 50 and above can add an extra $6,500 a year as a “catch-up contribution.”
In other words, in 2021 you can contribute a total of $58,000 along with a $6,500 catch-up contribution if applicable for a maximum of $64,500 for the year.
You can have a solo 401 even if you’re moonlighting. If you have a 401 plan at both jobs, the total employee contribution limits must be within the maximum for the year, but the employer contribution is not limited. If you’re one of these lucky folks with two retirement savings plans, talk to a tax adviser to make sure you follow the IRS rules.
How To Start A Solo 401
Follow the steps below if you’re interested in opening up a solo 401.
Once you’ve done these four things, you may begin choosing your investments and making regular contributions to your account. You can also roll over funds from other retirement accounts in your name if you choose.
You must make your solo 401 employee contributions by Dec. 31, but you have until the tax filing deadline for the year — usually April 15 of the following year — to make your employer contribution.
One last thing to note is that if you have $250,000 or more in your solo 401 by the end of the year, you’re required to submit a Form 5500-EZ information return to the IRS with your taxes for that year so you don’t run into trouble with the federal government.
Also Check: How To Find 401k From An Old Employer
Solo 401 Versus Other Retirement Plans
If you donât think a solo 401 is a good fit for you, here are some other options you may want to consider:
- Simplified Employee Pension IRA: A is another popular option among self-employed individuals with no employees. You may contribute up to the lesser of $61,000 in 2022 or 25% of your net income. Contributions are tax-deferred, and there is no Roth option. You can use one of these accounts if you have employees, too, although youâll have to make mandatory contributions to your employeesâ accounts. This could limit how much you can afford to contribute to your own retirement.
- Traditional or Roth IRA:Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs are open to all workers, even those who arenât self-employed. You can open them with most brokers, and youâre free to choose from many common investments. You may contribute up to $6,000 in 2022, or $7,000 if youâre 50 or older.
- Self-directed IRA:Self-directed IRAs are traditional, Roth, or SEP IRAs that allow you to invest your money in real estate and other assets you canât typically invest in with an IRA.
Each account has its pros and cons, so youâll have to decide which is best for you. A SEP IRA might be a better fit if you donât want to deal with the more complex reporting requirements of a solo 401. But solo 401s let you choose between tax-deferred and Roth accounts and take out loans, while SEP IRAs donât allow these things.
You might also like
You May Like: Do Solar Panels Give Off Heat
What Happens To My Individual 401k If I Hire Full
Then you will need to convert your Individual 401k into a traditional corporate 401k plan. If you anticipate hiring W-2 employees with more than 1000 hours of service in a calendar year in the future, then an Individual 401k may not be the appropriate retirement plan for you. Speak with a BCM financial advisor to learn more about your retirement options.
Read Also: Can I Roll My 401k Into A Brokerage Account
How To Open A Solo 401
You can open a solo 401 at most online brokers, though youll need an Employer Identification Number. The broker will provide a plan adoption agreement for you to complete, as well as an account application. Once youve done that, you can set up contributions. Youll have access to many of the investments offered by your broker, including mutual funds, index funds, exchange-traded funds, individual stocks and bonds.
If you want to make a contribution for this year, you must establish the plan by Dec. 31 and make your employee contribution by the end of the calendar year. You can typically make employer profit-sharing contributions until your tax-filing deadline for the tax year.
Note that once the plan gets rocking, it may require some additional paperwork the IRS requires an annual report on Form 5500-SF if your 401 plan has $250,000 or more in assets at the end of a given year.
If you need help managing the funds in your solo 401, robo-advisor Blooom will manage your 401 at your existing provider. If you want even more comprehensive financial help, you might opt for an online planning service. Companies such as Facet Wealth and Personal Capital offer low-cost access to human advisors and provide holistic guidance on your finances, including how to invest your 401.
Solo 401k Contribution Deadline 2021
You need to establish your plan and formally elect your contributions before December 31. Do this by filling out the contribution form in the Solo 401k dashboard. You do not have to actually make the contribution until you file your taxes. This depends on what your business structure is. For S Corp, C Corp and Partnership this is March 15, or September 15 if you file an extension. For Sole Proprietorship and Single Member LLC this is April 15 or October 15 if you file an extension. There are many important dates to remember for the Solo 401k. Rather than memorize them, here is a handy article which goes over some of the most important Solo 401k dates to remember.
Recommended Reading: Is It Better To Have A 401k Or Ira
Who Is Ineligible For An Individual 401k
If a business owner has salaried W-2 employees age 21 or older who work more than 1,000 hours in a calendar year they are ineligible for an Individual 401k. Business owners and their spouse do not apply to the 1,000 hour threshold.
A business owner is still eligible for an Individual 401k if they hire independent contractors who work more than 1,000 hours in a calendar year.
I Qualify Is The Self
Hold up there. Check if the Solo 401 is something you want to do. The Solo 401 is very powerful but can be a more complicated product to administer for our customers compared to a Self-Directed IRA, which is simple and straightforward.
- Are you trying to save over $6,000 per year in tax-advantaged retirement dollars?
- Will you have consistently have sufficient self-employed income each year to meet your contribution goals?
- Are you trying to take out loans from your retirement account?
- Are you trying to save both Traditional and Roth Dollars, or do after-tax conversions?
- Are you going to be doing matching or profit-sharing contributions? Can you handle calculating these contributions yourself or with a trusted CPA?
If you answered no to all or most of these questions, it might be best to stick with the IRA. You can read more about the Self-Directed IRA vs. the Self-Directed Solo 401 comparison here.
If it made more sense, a traditional IRA can have much more steady contributions each year as you will not have to worry about your Self Employment Income, hiring plans, or business structure.
Recommended Reading: How To Max Out 401k Calculator
Who Is Your Business Owned By
You and your spouse are the only people who can own the business. There can be no other outside ownership, or you will potentially not qualify for the Solo 401 at Rocket Dollar.
If you have partners, and the ownership structure is not structured appropriately, this can bar you from eligibility for the solo 401. At this time, Rocket Dollar does not support multi-owner Solo 401 plans. Anyone can still qualify for a Self-Directed IRA at Rocket Dollar.
I Participate In A 401k Through My Primary Employer And I Have A Part Time Business Can I Have An Individual 401k For My Part Time Business
Yes. You are eligible to establish an Individual 401k for a side business even if you participate in a 401k, 403b, 457 or Thrift Savings Plan through your primary employer. It is important to note that contributions made to the employer’s 401k, 403b or Thrift Savings Plan will impact the contributions for the Individual 401k. Contributions to the employer’s 401k, 403b or TSP count towards the Individual 401k salary deferral limit. The 2021 salary deferral limit is $19,500 and $26,000 if age 50 or older. Contributions made into a 457 plan do not count towards the salary deferral limit. In addition to a salary deferral contribution, a business owner can also make contributions to the profit sharing portion of an Individual 401k.
Example: Jennifer is age 40 and works as a W-2 employee for ABC accounting firm and contributes $10,000 to the 401k. In addition to working at the accounting firm, Jennifer is the owner of an S corporation. She is the only employee and pays herself a $100,000 W-2 salary in 2021.
Based on this information Jennifer would be eligible to make a contribution of $9,500 in salary deferrals plus make a profit sharing contribution of $25,000 for a total of $34,500 in Individual 401k contributions in 2021.
Also Check: How To See How Much Is In My 401k
What Are The Irs Rules About How Much And When The Business Owner Must Make Contributions To A Solo 401k
The intent of the business owner must be to make significant contributions to the Solo 401k plan, however there are no established thresholds regarding how much money is required to be contributed annually. Also there are no IRS rules about how soon contributions must be made after establishing a Solo 401k plan.
Are Contributions To An Individual 401k Mandatory Each Year
No. Contributions are not mandatory. Each year the funding of the Individual 401k plan is completely discretionary and flexible. Funding can be increased, decreased, or skipped entirely if necessary. The contribution flexibility of an Individual 401k eliminates potential funding worries if there is a bad business year.
You May Like: How To Rollover Old 401k To New 401k
S To Set Up A Solo 401
There are specific steps that must be taken to properly open a solo 401 plan, according to the Internal Revenue Service .
First, you have to adopt a plan in writing, making a written declaration of the type of plan you intend to fund. The choices are the same as are given to an employee opening a 401 plan: you can choose a traditional 401 or a Roth 401. Each has distinct tax benefits.
A solo 401 must be set up by December 31st in the tax year for which you are making contributions.
When Do You Have To Take Distributions
Where you were required to take Required Minimum Distributions at age 70 ½ until 2019, the recent passage of the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act bumped that figure up to age 72.
In short, this means youre required to begin taking distributions once you reach that age. This is unlike the Roth IRA, which doesnt require distributions at any age.
Note that you can take distributions without a penalty any time after you reach the age 59 ½.
Don’t Miss: How To Get Money Out Of 401k Without Paying Taxes
Disadvantages Of A Solo 401
Here are some of the drawbacks of a solo 401 plan:
- No employees allowed. If you have an employee who has worked for your company for at least one year , youre no longer eligible to maintain a solo 401 plan unless that employee is your spouse.
- Can create significant administrative work. A solo 401 plan isnt as time-consuming as a full-scale corporate 401. But it can be a significant resource drain. This is especially true if you select the do-it-yourself option and open an account on your own, outside of a brokerage firm.
- Need decent income before it becomes worthwhile. If youre not planning to set aside more than $6,000 per year into a retirement account perhaps a decent amount more than $6,000 opening a solo 401 probably isnt worth the effort.
- Some of the nuances and rules are especially dense. Personally, I find that solo 401 plans to be one of the most complex types of retirement accounts.
Rules Change Regarding Offering Solo 401k Plan To Par
QUESTION 5: Have the rules changed for 2020 regarding whether I can still fund my solo 401k if I have two part-time employees that work less than 1000 hrs/year, but more than 500 hrs/year? Would I have to open up retirement accounts for them?
ANSWER: In short yes resulting from the SECURE Act, but it would be for those part-time employees who satisfy the new rule by 2024. Effective for tax year 2021 , solo 401k plans will need to be offered to part-time employees who have three consecutive 12-month periods of 500 hours of service and who satisfy the plans minimum age requirement. Hours of service during 12-month periods beginning before January 1, 2021, are not taken into account for this rule. We are waiting for the IRS to release more guidance on this new rule in 2020. See Section 112 of the ACT for more information.
Last Weeks Most Popular Solo 401k FAQs
Don’t Miss: What Is The Minimum 401k Distribution
The 2 Kinds Of Solo 401k Contributions
The solo 401k plan accepts two types of contributions: salary deferrals and a profit sharing contribution. Both are tax deductible and grow tax-deferred until withdrawals.
You can withdraw money from your solo 401k penalty free after you turn 59 1/2. Withdrawals after age 59 1/2 are taxed as ordinary income. Withdrawals must begin at the age of 70 1/2but this rule doesnt apply if you go Roth style.
To fund a solo 401k, you can rollover funds from your previous retirement plans, IRAs etc, by setting up a Trust account for the solo 401k and directly transferring your funds from the old custodian to the trust bank account.
A Trustee needs to be designated to hold the assets of your solo 401k, preferably you. However, if you do serve as Trustee, you cannot legally benefit directly from the trust, enter into a transaction with the trust, or use the trust as your personal fund.
Since a solo 401k is an IRS qualified retirement plan, it has to have a written 401k plan document that establishes the provisions of the plan. Its a lengthy document which will explain how the plan works and operates.
For example, the plan document will explain how you are able to borrow up to 50% or $50,000 from your solo 401k tax free, and literally for free. You pay interest, but the interest is paid into your account, so youre really paying yourself.
Solo 401 Withdrawals And Details
As with all qualified retirement plans, there are rules to when you can and must start taking withdrawals from your Solo 401 plan. You must begin taking the minimum required distribution no later than age 72 . There is a 10% early withdrawal penalty for distributions take before age 59 1/2, but exceptions may apply.
Please refer to the IRS page on individual 401s and review our Solo 401 Guide for additional details.
Also Check: Does A Solo 401k Need An Ein
