 VANGUARD |
VANGUARD |
 ASCENSUS |
ASCENSUS |
ASCENSUS |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plan sponsors and participants |
Individuals who are self-employed or earn freelance income, and don't employ others, who want to establish a retirement account for themselves. |
Small to midsize businesses that want to provide a retirement benefit to their employees, maximize tax deferrals, and customize their plan's investment types and services, such as offering a Roth option. |
Self-employed individuals or businesses with no common-law employees that want to maximize tax deferrals, including those interested in a Roth option. |
Self-employed individuals or businesses that have 100 or fewer employees and want to encourage employee contributions and provide an annual employer contribution. |
Small businesses that want to provide a retirement benefit to all employees (including the business owners) solely through employer contributions. |
Contributions |
Employee: None. |
Employee: Up to $23,500 for 2025 or $23,000 for 2024, not to exceed 100% of compensation. Roth contributions are accepted. |
Employee: Up to $23,500 for 2025 or $23,000 for 2024, not to exceed 100% of compensation. Roth contributions are accepted. |
Employee: Up to $16,500 for 2025, not to exceed 100% of compensation. |
Employee: None. |
|
Employer: Up to 25% of the employee's compensation or $70,000 for 2025 or $69,000 for 2024, whichever is less. Self-employed individuals must calculate their maximum contribution using the rate table or worksheets in Chapter 5 of IRS Publication 560 (PDF) Retirement Plans for Small Business, or see a tax advisor. |
Employer: Up to 25% of the employee’s compensation, not to exceed $70,000 for 2025 or $69,000 for 2024.
$70,000 for 2025 $69,000 for 2024
Catch-up contributions: An employee aged 50-59 or 64 or older can contribute an additional $7,500. An employee aged 60-63 can contribute an additional $11,250. |
Employer: Up to 25% of the employee’s compensation, not to exceed $70,000 for 2025 or $69,000 for 2024.
$70,000 for 2025 $69,000 for 2024
Catch-up contributions: An employee aged 50-59 or 64 or older can contribute an additional $7,500. An employee aged 60-63 can contribute an additional $11,250. |
Employer: Match up to 3% of employee's compensation — or — An annual nonelective contribution of 2% of each eligible employee's compensation. Catch-up contributions: An employee aged 50-59 or 64 or older can contribute an additional $7,500. An employee aged 60-63 can contribute an additional $11,250. SECURE 2.0 permits eligible employers to provide additional contribution options. Please see a qualified tax advisor for more information. |
Employer: The lesser of 25% of the employee's compensation or $69,000 (for 2024) or $70,000 (for 2025).1 |
Investment options |
Any publicly traded asset including Vanguard mutual funds and ETFs, as well as additional brokerage options. |
Any publicly traded asset including Vanguard mutual funds and ETFs, as well as additional brokerage options. |
You'll have access to a diverse lineup of Vanguard mutual funds.
|
You'll have access to a diverse lineup of Vanguard mutual funds. |
You'll have access to a diverse lineup of Vanguard mutual funds. |
Fees |
No plan setup fee. For more information see Vanguard annual account service fees. |
For more information on fees, see Vanguard Retirement Plan Access Advisor pricing (PDF). |
|||
Filing requirements |
Doesn't require IRS filing. |
Requires IRS filing. |
Requires IRS filing. |
Doesn't require IRS filing. |
Doesn’t require IRS filing. |
|
Plan sponsors and participants
Individuals who are self-employed or earn freelance income, and don't employ others, who want to establish a retirement account for themselves.
Contributions
Employee:
None.
Employer:
Up to 25% of the employee's compensation or $70,000 for 2025 or $69,000 for 2024, whichever is less.
Self-employed individuals must calculate their maximum contribution using the rate table or worksheets in Chapter 5 of IRS Publication 560 (PDF) Retirement Plans for Small Business, or see a tax advisor.
Investment options
Any publicly traded asset including Vanguard mutual funds and ETFs, as well as additional brokerage options.
Fees
No plan setup fee.
For more information see Vanguard annual account service fees
Filing requirements
Doesn't require IRS filing.
Plan sponsors and participants
Small to midsize businesses that want to provide a retirement benefit to their employees, maximize tax deferrals, and customize their plan's investment types and services, such as offering a Roth option.
Contributions
Employee:
Up to $23,500 for 2025 or $23,000 for 2024, not to exceed 100% of compensation.
Roth contributions are accepted.
Employer:
Up to 25% of the employee’s compensation, not to exceed $70,000 for 2025 or $69,000 for 2024.
Maximum combined employer plus employee contributions:
$70,000 for 2025
$69,000 for 2024
Catch-up contributions:
An employee aged 50-59 or 64 or older can contribute an additional $7,500.
An employee aged 60-63 can contribute an additional $11,250.
Investment options
Any publicly traded asset including Vanguard mutual funds and ETFs, as well as additional brokerage options.
Fees
For more information on fees, see Vanguard Retirement Plan Access Advisor pricing.
Filing requirements
Requires IRS filing.
Plan sponsors and participants
Self-employed individuals or businesses with no common-law employees that want to maximize tax deferrals, including those interested in a Roth option.
Contributions
Employee:
Up to $23,500 for 2025 or $23,000 for 2024, not to exceed 100% of compensation.
Roth contributions are accepted.
Employer:
Up to 25% of the employee’s compensation, not to exceed $70,000 for 2025 or $69,000 for 2024.
Maximum combined employer plus employee contributions:
$70,000 for 2025
$69,000 for 2024
Catch-up contributions:
An employee aged 50-59 or 64 or older can contribute an additional $7,500.
An employee aged 60-63 can contribute an additional $11,250.
Investment options
You'll have access to a diverse lineup of Vanguard mutual funds.
Fees
Filing requirements
Requires IRS filing.
Plan sponsors and participants
Self-employed individuals or businesses that have 100 or fewer employees and want to encourage employee contributions and provide an annual employer contribution.
Contributions
Employee:
Up to $16,500 for 2025, not to exceed 100% of compensation.
Employer:
Match up to 3% of employee's compensation
— or —
An annual nonelective contribution of 2% of each eligible employee's compensation.
Catch-up contributions:
An employee aged 50-59 or 64 or older can contribute an additional $7,500.
An employee aged 60-63 can contribute an additional $11,250.
SECURE 2.0 permits eligible employers to provide additional contribution options. Please see a qualified tax advisor for more information.
Investment options
You'll have access to a diverse lineup of Vanguard mutual funds.
Fees
Filing requirements
Doesn't require IRS filing.
Plan sponsors and participants
Small businesses that want to provide a retirement benefit to all employees (including the business owners) solely through employer contributions.
Contributions
Employee:
None.
Employer:
The lesser of 25% of the employee's compensation or $69,000 (for 2024) or $70,000 (for 2025).1
Investment options
You'll have access to a diverse lineup of Vanguard mutual funds.
Fees
Filing requirements
Doesn't require IRS filing.
Vanguard is only responsible for content on our own website.
1Self-employed individuals must calculate their maximum contribution using the rate table or worksheets in Chapter 5 of IRS Publication 560 (PDF) Retirement Plans for Small Business, or see a tax advisor.
All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest.
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