Small-business retirement plans

Compare our small-business retirement plans

  Vanguard logo

VANGUARD
SEP-IRA
(One person)

Ascensus logo

ASCENSUS
Individual(k)

Ascensus logo

ASCENSUS
SIMPLE IRA

Ascensus logo

ASCENSUS
SEP IRA
(Multiple participants)

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.

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:

For 2024, up to $23,000, not to exceed 100% of compensation.

Roth contributions are accepted.

Employee:

For 2024, up to $16,000, not to exceed 100% of compensation.

Employee: 

None.

 

Employer:

For 2024, up to 25% of the employee's compensation or $69,000, whichever is less.

Self-employed individuals must calculate their maximum contribution using the rate table or worksheets in Chapter 5 of IRS Publication 560 Retirement Plans for Small Business, or see a tax advisor.

Employer:

For 2024, up to 25% of the employee’s compensation, not to exceed annual maximums. 
 
Maximum combined employer plus employee contributions for 2024:

$69,000 
 
Catch-up contributions for 2024:

An employee age 50 or older can contribute an additional $7,500.

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 for 2024:

Employees age 50 or older can contribute an additional $3,500.

SECURE 2.0 permits eligible employers to provide additional contribution options. Please see a qualified tax advisor for more information.

Employer: 

For 2024, up to 25% of the employee's compensation or $69,000, whichever is less.1

Investment choices

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.

Compare fees at Ascensus new window icon

Compare fees at Ascensus new window icon

Compare fees at Ascensus opens a new window

Filing requirements

Doesn't require IRS filing.

Requires IRS filing.

Doesn't require IRS filing.

Doesn’t require IRS filing.

Small-business retirement plan
pages

Learn more about the Vanguard SEP-IRA

Learn more about the Ascensus Individual(k) 

Learn more about the Ascensus SIMPLE IRA 

Learn more about the Ascensus SEP IRA 

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:

For 2024, up to 25% of the employee's compensation or $69,000, whichever is less.

Self-employed individuals must calculate their maximum contribution using the rate table or worksheets in Chapter 5 of IRS Publication 560 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.


Small-business retirement plan pages

Learn more about the Vanguard SEP-IRA

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: 

For 2024, up to $23,000, not to exceed 100% of compensation.

Roth contributions are accepted.

Employer:

For 2024, up to 25% of the employee’s compensation, not to exceed annual maximums. 
 
Maximum amount of employer plus employee contributions for 2024:

$69,000 
 
Catch-up contributions for 2024:

An employee over age 50 can contribute an additional $7,500


Investment choices

You'll have access to a diverse lineup of Vanguard mutual funds.


Fees

Compare fees at Ascensus 


Filing requirements

Requires IRS filing.


Small-business retirement plan pages

Learn more about the Ascensus Individual(k) 

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: 

For 2024, up to $16,000, 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 for 2024:

Employees over age 50 can contribute an additional $3,500.

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

Compare fees at Ascensus 


Filing requirements

Doesn't require IRS filing.


Small-business retirement plan pages

Learn more about the Ascensus SIMPLE IRA

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:

For 2024, up to 25% of the employee's compensation or $69,000, whichever is less.1


Investment options

You'll have access to a diverse lineup of Vanguard mutual funds.


Fees

Compare fees at Ascensus 


Filing requirements

Doesn't require IRS filing.


Small-business retirement plan pages

Learn more about the Ascensus SEP IRA 

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 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.

Ascensus, LLC provides administrative and recordkeeping services. It is not a broker-dealer or an investment advisor and does not provide tax, legal, or accounting services. Ascensus® and the Ascensus logo are trademarks of Ascensus, LLC. Individual(k) is a trademark of Ascensus, LLC. © 2024 Ascensus, LLC. All Rights Reserved.