What is a SEP IRA?
Employer Type: employers of any size
A Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) is a written plan that allows small-business owners to make retirement contributions to traditional IRAs (SEP IRAs) set up for themselves and for each eligible employee. These contributions may be deducted from your business's income and excluded from your employees' income. A SEP may not only provide you a tax-advantaged way to save for your own retirement, but may also help you attract and retain qualified employees by providing for their retirements. It may help your business avoid some of the complexities posed by certain other employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Who can establish a SEP? You can establish a SEP if you are an employer or you have self-employment income. "Employer" includes a sole proprietor, a partnership, a C corporation, an S corporation, a limited liability company, and a limited liability partnership. You do not need employees to set up a SEP, but if you do have them, all eligible employees must be included as SEP participants.
How much can I contribute to a SEP?
You can contribute up to 25% of compensation to an employee's SEP IRA. If you are self-employed, contributions to your own SEP IRA are calculated differently. Your compensation is considered your net earnings from self-employment and represent the net income you earned in the business that established the SEP, less the deduction for contributions to your SEP and the deduction allowed to you for one-half of the self-employment tax. A SEP may not only provide you with a tax-advantaged way to save for your own retirement, but may also help you attract and retain qualified employees by providing for their retirements. For the most up-to-date tax contribution information, please visit our Tax Center.
What is a SIMPLE IRA?
Employer Type: employers with 100 employees or less
SIMPLE IRAs (Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees of Small Employers) offer a plan that is easy to administer and more cost effective than 401(k) plans. Employers match employee contributions with either a matching contribution, generally up to 3% of compensation, or a non-elective contribution of at least 2%, subject to IRS rules.1
How much can your employees contribute?
A SIMPLE IRA plan lets your employees earning at least $5,000 defer compensation, and offers catch-up contributions for those age 50 or older. SIMPLE plans allow for employee salary deferrals on a pre-tax basis, with Roth salary deferrals available if adopted by the employer and reflected in plan terms (employee and employer contributions subject to annual IRS limits). SIMPLE plans also provide tax deferred investing with no discrimination testing or plan administrative fees. For the most up-to-date tax contribution information, please visit our Tax Center.
1 Employers have the option to make an additional non-elective contribution up to a maximum of 10% of the employee’s compensation or $5,000 per year whichever is less. This contribution is in addition to the employer standard contribution (match or non-elective).