“Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.” — Peter Drucker
Designed for Business Owners, Not Just Employees
Most business owners don’t wake up excited about 401(k) compliance. But offering a retirement plan isn’t just a legal or HR decision — it’s a financial one. A well-structured 401(k) can help you attract and retain talent, reduce your tax burden, and prepare for your own eventual exit. The problem is, too many plans come with hidden costs, administrative drag, and fiduciary risk that no one warned you about — until it’s too late.
That’s where our Pooled Employer Plan (PEP) comes in. By pooling your plan with others and outsourcing the heavy lifting to fiduciary professionals, we help you build a retirement benefit that’s easier to manage, legally protected, and aligned with your long-term goals. You don’t have to research funds, track compliance, or field employee questions. We take care of all of that — with a team of experts behind the scenes and a clear process that keeps you informed without putting everything on your shoulders.
Whether you’re looking to improve an existing plan or implement one for the first time, we’ll help you make a decision that works for your employees — and makes sense for your business.
Designed with Your Business in Mind
Less Risk, More Support
Plan responsibilities like compliance testing, investment monitoring, and participant notices are handled for you — helping reduce liability and free up your time.
Payroll Integration Made Easy
Our platform integrates with over 200 payroll providers, making contributions and eligibility tracking seamless. No more manual uploads or spreadsheet juggling.
Real Guidance, Not Just Technology
We support you and your employees with enrollment meetings, bilingual tools, and year-round access to real advisors. It’s personal, not robotic.
Optional Cash Balance Plan Integration
For business owners seeking higher contribution limits, we can evaluate whether layering a Cash Balance Plan on top of your 401(k) would enhance your overall strategy.
Streamlined Administration
We coordinate the details, from onboarding to filings. You won’t have to chase deadlines, decipher government forms, or manage vendors.
Investment Options That Make Sense
Your team gets access to low-cost funds, model portfolios, and self-directed brokerage option — all with transparent pricing and no proprietary products.
Valuable Tax Credits
Eligible businesses may receive up to $5,000/year in startup tax credits, plus added incentives for matching and auto-enrollment.
One Point of Contact
You’ll have a dedicated advisor who helps coordinate all aspects of your plan — so you’re never stuck in a call queue or wondering who’s responsible for what.
A Plan That Works for Everyone
A retirement plan might seem like just another employee benefit — but in reality, it’s one of the most influential financial tools in your business. The way your 401(k) is structured affects far more than just employee satisfaction. It touches your tax bill, your operating efficiency, your legal exposure, and even the value of your business when it’s time to sell.
Too often, business owners inherit plans that are cobbled together — sold by brokers, patched by payroll companies, or handed off to HR — with little thought given to long-term strategy. The result? Missed deductions, unnecessary risk, and employees who don’t really understand what they’ve been given.
We think you deserve better. A retirement plan should serve your business, not distract from it. It should work quietly in the background, growing with you, protecting your team, and helping you meet goals you haven’t even put on paper yet.
This is why plan design, compliance, education, and investment oversight matter — not just for your employees, but for you. Because when the right pieces are in place, your 401(k) stops being a box to check… and starts becoming a real asset.
Positioned for Bigger Moves: Cash Balance Plans & Business Sales
For business owners preparing to sell — whether soon or someday — a Cash Balance Plan can be a powerful tool. Layered on top of a 401(k), it allows you to make significantly larger pre-tax contributions in the years leading up to a transaction. That means more tax-deferred savings now and a stronger retirement position post-sale.
But it’s not just about deferrals. Buyers tend to look more favorably on businesses that offer high-quality retirement plans — especially those with consistent contributions, clean compliance history, and a structure that doesn’t rely too heavily on the owner. When designed well, a Cash Balance + 401(k) combo can help improve both the optics and the fundamentals of your business during a sale.
If you’re thinking about succession, transition, or simply maximizing your earnings while you still own the business, this is a strategy worth exploring.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Pooled Employer Plan (PEP) is a retirement plan structure that allows multiple unrelated businesses to participate in a single, professionally managed 401(k) plan. Unlike traditional 401(k) plans, where each business is responsible for administering and maintaining their own plan, a PEP shifts most of that responsibility to third-party fiduciaries who specialize in plan management.
This structure helps reduce liability, lower costs, and eliminate many of the administrative headaches that come with running a standalone plan. You still have control over how much you contribute and which employees are eligible, but you’re no longer the one on the hook for filings, testing, and investment decisions. It’s a more efficient, modern way to offer a competitive retirement benefit.
You can absolutely move your existing plan into the Suttle Crossland PEP. We’ll guide you through the conversion process to ensure a smooth transition. There’s no need to start over or disrupt your team — employees retain their account balances, and there’s no gap in service or investment access.
Many business owners who switch to a PEP do so because their current plan has become too expensive, too time-consuming, or too risky to manage in-house. By joining our PEP, you’ll benefit from bundled services, professional oversight, and a simplified experience — all while maintaining continuity for your employees.
One of the main advantages of the PEP structure is that you’re no longer solely responsible for plan oversight. Administrative and investment duties are handled by licensed professionals who are contractually obligated to act in the best interest of plan participants.
This includes annual compliance testing, government filings, creation and distribution of participant notices, and the ongoing monitoring and updating of the investment lineup. Our team acts as your dedicated advisor, coordinating everything on your behalf and keeping you informed — without overwhelming you with day-to-day responsibilities.
No. The PEP structure is extremely flexible and can accommodate a wide range of business sizes — from a one-person operation to a team of 100 or more. Whether you’re a solo business owner looking for a high-quality retirement solution or a growing company ready to improve your benefits offering, this plan can be tailored to meet your needs.
This flexibility makes it especially appealing for firms that anticipate scaling in the future. You can start small and grow into the plan without needing to redesign it later. It’s built to evolve with your business.
The tax advantages of offering a 401(k) — particularly under the PEP structure — are significant. Employer contributions, such as matching or profit sharing, are tax-deductible. This can meaningfully reduce your business’s taxable income, especially if you’re making consistent contributions on behalf of yourself and your team.
Additionally, the SECURE 2.0 Act created generous tax credits for businesses starting a new retirement plan. Eligible employers may receive up to $5,000 per year for the first three years to offset startup costs, plus an additional $1,000 per employee for matching contributions, depending on your company size and compensation levels. There’s also a $500 per year credit available for plans that use automatic enrollment features.
We’ll help you evaluate which credits apply to your situation and how to structure contributions in a way that aligns with your tax strategy.
Yes — and in many cases, it’s one of the smartest moves a high-income business owner can make. A Cash Balance Plan is a type of defined benefit retirement plan that can be layered on top of a 401(k) to significantly increase your annual contribution limits — sometimes well into six figures.
This strategy is especially valuable for business owners looking to reduce taxable income, accelerate retirement savings, or prepare their business for a future sale. Contributions to a Cash Balance Plan are tax-deductible, and when paired with a 401(k), the combined savings potential is substantial.
We can run projections and help you evaluate whether adding a Cash Balance Plan makes sense based on your income, cash flow, and long-term goals. The plans are highly customizable, and when designed correctly, they can benefit both owners and employees alike.
One of the biggest advantages of the Suttle Crossland PEP 401(k) is how little you’ll need to manage day-to-day. Once the plan is set up and integrated with your payroll provider, most of the administrative work is handled for you. That includes compliance testing, government filings, notices to employees, and ongoing monitoring of the investment lineup.
You’ll still be informed — and you’ll always have the final say — but you won’t be bogged down in operational tasks. Instead, you’ll have a dedicated point of contact who handles coordination, answers questions, and helps ensure everything stays on track.
In short, you’ll spend less time managing your retirement plan and more time running your business, knowing the details are being taken care of by professionals.
A Solo 401(k) is a retirement plan designed for self-employed individuals and business owners with no employees, other than a spouse or other co-owners of the business. It’s an excellent option for single-member LLCs, sole proprietors, and family-run businesses that don’t plan to expand their payroll. Contribution limits are generous, and the costs are typically low.
However, as soon as you hire a W-2 employee who meets eligibility requirements, your Solo 401(k) is no longer compliant unless you convert it into a broader plan — which often triggers testing, new filings, and added complexity. That’s where a PEP comes in.
The Suttle Crossland PEP 401(k) is designed for businesses with employees — or those planning to hire in the future. It offers built-in compliance support, fiduciary oversight, and streamlined administration, making it a natural upgrade path for growing firms. If you’ve outgrown the Solo 401(k), we can help you transition smoothly into a more scalable solution.
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