Looking For a Retirement Plan For Your Business? Here’s One SIMPLE Option

19 Sep, 2016
By Adam Traywick, CPA

Has your small business procrastinated in setting up a retirement plan? You might want to take a look at a SIMPLE IRA. SIMPLE stands for “savings incentive match plan for employees.” If you decide a SIMPLE IRA is right for your company, you must establish it by no later than October 1 of the year for which you want to make your initial deductible contribution. (If you’re a new employer and come into existence after October 1, you can establish the SIMPLE IRA as soon as administratively feasible.)

SIMPLE IRA Pros and cons
Here are some of the basics of SIMPLEs:

They’re available to businesses with 100 or fewer employees.
They offer greater income deferral opportunities than individual retirement accounts (IRAs). However, other plans, such as SEPs and 401(k)s, may permit larger annual deductible contributions.
Participant loans aren’t allowed (unlike 401(k) and other plans that can offer loans).
As the name implies, it’s simple to set up and administer these plans. You aren’t required to file annual financial returns.
If your business has other employees, you may have to make SIMPLE IRA employer “matching” contributions.

Contribution amounts
Any employee who has compensation of at least $5,000 in any prior two years, and is reasonably expected to earn $5,000 in the current year, can elect to have a percentage of their compensation put into a SIMPLE. An employee may defer up to $12,500 in 2016. This amount is indexed for inflation each year. Employees age 50 or older can make a catch-up contribution of up to $3,000 in 2016.

If your business has other employees, you may have to make SIMPLE IRA employer “matching” contributions.

Consider your choices
A SIMPLE IRA might be a good choice for your small business but it isn’t the only choice. You might also be interested in setting up a simplified employee pension plan, a 401(k) or other plan. Contact us to learn more about a SIMPLE IRA or to hear about other retirement alternatives for your business.
© 2016

Adam Traywick, CPA

Adam Traywick, CPA, runs Adam Traywick, LLC, a CPA firm in Fort Worth, Texas. He has more than 20 years of experience in tax and accounting. Adam and his team work mostly with trades and home-service businesses, along with hair salons, real estate investors and insurance agencies. The firm handles bookkeeping, payroll, tax preparation and tax planning all year, and the team stays in touch with clients throughout the year so April holds no surprises.

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