Free Guide · 7 pages
Starting a 401(k) Under SECURE 2.0
Plan types, 2026 contribution limits, the federal tax credits for small employers, the new automatic enrollment rules and a typical setup timeline.
About This Guide
A Better Time to Start a Plan
Many owners assume a 401(k) is too expensive or complicated for a company their size. The SECURE 2.0 Act changed the math: eligible small employers can receive federal tax credits toward the cost of starting a plan, for automatic enrollment and for the contributions they make, for up to five years. This guide walks through the choices and the numbers for 2026.
What's Inside
What You'll Find
- 2026 contribution limits at a glance
- Safe harbor, traditional, profit sharing, SIMPLE, SEP and solo plans compared
- The startup, automatic enrollment and employer contribution tax credits, with a hypothetical example
- The automatic enrollment requirement for new plans, and who is exempt
- A typical setup timeline
- What a 401(k) can mean for the owner's own savings
Who It's For
- Owners of businesses without a retirement plan
- Companies using a SIMPLE IRA or SEP that are outgrowing it
- CPAs and advisers helping a client decide
Common Questions
About This Guide
No. It is general educational information about how 401(k) plans work. Every plan is different, so please discuss your plan with your ERISA counsel, third-party administrator and tax professional.
Yes. Enter your name, work email and a few details about your company, and you can download the PDF right away. We may follow up to see if it was helpful and to offer a complimentary plan review, and you can tell us if you would rather we did not.
Yes. Contribution limits change every year and SECURE 2.0 provisions are still phasing in. The guide notes the date its information was current and points you to the sources to confirm.
Yes. Many of the plans we review already have a provider. Often we can step in as the plan's investment adviser alongside an independent third-party administrator without changing recordkeepers, so no assets move. A review comes with no cost and no obligation.
Prefer to Talk It Through?
Request a Complimentary Plan Review
Send us your plan's most recent fee disclosure and we will review its costs, investments and structure, then explain what we find in plain terms. No cost and no obligation.
This guide is general educational information, not individualized investment, tax or legal advice and not a substitute for advice from your ERISA counsel or third-party administrator, and is not an offer to buy or sell any security. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Radius Wealth Management LLC is a Registered Investment Adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. 1 Marina Park Drive #1410, Boston, MA 02210.