The Design · Cross-Tested 401(k)
The same plan, actually designed.
US law lets a plan's employer contributions be tilted toward the owners — lawfully, testably — in exchange for a defined minimum to staff. Most small-practice plans were never structured to use it.
Illustrative design, owner at ~$350,000 pay:
| Staff receive | Owner can receive |
|---|---|
| 3% (the safe harbor you may already fund) | ~$64,000/yr |
| 5% | ~$80,000/yr (the legal maximum with catch-up) |
The design, in three lines.
- 01
Decided after year-end — fund the fat years, skip the lean ones.
- 02
Doubles as staff retention: your team sees a defined employer contribution, every year it runs.
- 03
Every figure is tested against IRS nondiscrimination rules before it ships.
Fee: $2,500–3,500/yr flat
Flat fees. No asset charges. No revenue sharing.
Worked figures are illustrative at the stated pay level; ranges until we see your census. Not legal or tax advice.