Retirement
A 401(k) that clears your state mandate and survives an audit.
More than a dozen states now require employers to offer a retirement plan or enroll in a state program. We help you choose between a state option, a pooled plan and a standalone 401(k) — including SECURE 2.0 startup tax credits that can offset much of the first three years of cost.
Best for
Employers facing a state mandate, or fixing a plan with high fees and no fiduciary support.
- Up to $5,000/yr
- in SECURE 2.0 startup credits for 3 years
- 3(16) / 3(38)
- fiduciary support options available
- 360°
- payroll integration for deferrals and census
What is included
Inside 401(k) & retirement
Plan design
Safe harbor, profit sharing, vesting schedules, auto-enrollment and auto-escalation modeled against your goals.
Recordkeeping
Participant accounts, loans, distributions and required notices.
Fiduciary services
3(21) advice or 3(38) discretionary management, plus 3(16) administrative fiduciary options.
Payroll integration
360° integration so deferral changes flow both ways without a spreadsheet.
Compliance testing
ADP/ACP testing, Form 5500 filing, and safe-harbor structures that avoid failed tests.
Employee education
Enrollment meetings and one-on-one sessions so participation is not 11%.
Engagement
How we run it.
Same sequence every time, so you always know what happens next.
- 01
Mandate check
We confirm what your state actually requires and by when.
- 02
Compare
State program vs. pooled plan vs. standalone 401(k), with all-in fees shown per participant.
- 03
Install
Plan documents, payroll integration and employee launch.
- 04
Review
Annual fee benchmarking and participation review.
Questions
401(k) & Retirement FAQ
Employers with up to 50 employees can generally claim 100% of qualifying startup costs up to $5,000 per year for three years, plus a separate employer-contribution credit. Confirm specifics with your CPA.
Not necessarily, but a safe harbor match avoids annual nondiscrimination testing and usually lifts participation substantially.
Yes. We benchmark your current all-in cost per participant and, if a move makes sense, manage the conversion including blackout notices.
Next step
Get 401(k) & retirement quoted.
Send the basics and an advisor will come back within one business day with what we need and what it will likely look like.
Bring us your renewal. We will bring you options.
A 30-minute discovery call, a census, and you get a normalized comparison across Paychex and competing providers. No fee, no obligation, no pressure to switch mid-contract.