our online 401k systems...
FREE, LIVE FULLY-FUNCTIONING DEMOS OF OUR ONLINE PLAN ADMINISTRATION & PARTICIPATION SYSTEMS
- Go to the 401k Demo Portal page (page will open in its own window).
- Click on the button appropriate to launching the 401k Easy Online Gateway of your choice. The demos are actual 401k Easy Online stystems that we have customized for a fictitous company and its fictitous employees and 401k plan(s).
We create a customized Plan Sponsor Gateway and linked Plan Participant Gateway specific to the plan being operated using 401k Easy Online. Your Plan Sponsor Gateway will grant your authorized personnel unlimited access to self-service 401k administration, while the Plan Participation Gateway is obviously for your employees, both active participants and those seeking information about the plan; only functions relevant to the options you have chosen for your plan exist in your Gateways. For instance, should you choose NOT to allow for 401k loans, no mention of 401k loans or their related functions will appear in any of your Gateways. Go to the Plan Options tab on our order forms page for a list and explanation of your plan customization options.
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our online 401k systems...
Our "On-line" Versus "Off-Line" 401k Plans
Our "online" and "offline" systems differ in a few key ways.
- Where the Software Is Housed: In our online plans, the software used to process your retirement plan data and by which you and your employees access information about your company plan and interact with it is housed on secure servers that you access online (via the Internet). This means that you and your employees have access to your customized system anywhere you can connect to the Internet. In contrast, in our offline plans, your plan-specific software is housed on your desktop PC.
- What the Software Can Do: In our online plans, your customized system handles both user-accessible plan administration as well as plan participation. That is, not only do authorized administrators (whether you, if using our self-serve system, 401k Easy Online, or our professional personnel, if using the full-service system, The 401k Solution) have anytime, anywhere access to the system, but so do your employees. They can log into the Plan Participant Gateway via almost any Internet connection to read about your company plan, join it, select and alter personal investment choices, model and apply for 401k loans (if your company chooses to offer such within its plan), monitor account balances, print account statements, and more. In contrast, in our offline plans, plan participation is done the old-fashioned way: via paper. Plan-specific forms and information are housed within the PC-based software and can be printed for employees on an as-needed basis.
- Renewal: With both our online and offline systems, the right to use the software systems comes with payment of your annual fee (see our Pricing section for details). For online system users, upgrades to the new year's software occurs transparently; we update everything on our end, and you do not have to do anything. In contrast, for our offline customers, they receive a CD of their upgraded software, which they then load into their PC; this takes only a few moments.
- Price: As you might expect, our online systems cost a bit more than the offline, simpler system.
Whether you choose one of our online systems — 401k Easy Online or the full-service administration version, The 401k Solution — or our offline system, 401(k) Easy for the PC, we customize your system to the plan and administration design options you choose. Contact us if you have any questions about the differences between the systems or want help evaluating which best suits your company's retirement plan needs.
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our online 401k systems...
System 1: 401k Easy Online
Online Self-Service Plan Administration + Participation
401k Easy Online is by far our most popular 401k, particularly with small and medium-sized businesses. This web site of course explains in detail all that 401k Easy Online has to offer; here are a few of the highlights that clients tell us particularly drew them to the system and have them staying with it year after year:
- Price - Our clients find the setup fee and annual fee associated with 401k Easy Online extremely palatable.
- Investment Volume + Flexibility - The array of investments available via 401k Easy Online is another big draw. Not only do clients favor the extensive array of investments allowed, they also like that we are not affiliated with any investment house and that we do not charge any fees regarding investments.
- Ease of Use - Most clients find spending 15 or so minutes a month on 401k Easy Online well worth the thousands of dollars a year of savings in 401k administration fees charged by most full-service plan providers.
- Expertise - Clients......
Visit our System Demos page to learn more and to try out a real-time, live sample customized system.
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our online 401k systems...
System 1b: 401k Easy Online for One - For One-Person Companies
The 401k plan's popularity lies in that it enables people to shelter a significant portion of their income from current income taxes. In some cases, a 401k plan enables a person to shelter more than twice as much as do other qualified retirement plans (money purchase pension plans, simplified employee pension (SEP) plans and savings incentive match plans for employees (SIMPLEs), more specifically). Until recently, however, a 401k plan needed multiple plan participants. It was not an option for one-person companies and the like — again, that is, until 2002. The one-person 401k plan is now a reality.
As the name suggests, 401k Easy Online for One is a version of our most popular system, 401k Easy Online, written to meet the regulatory, administrative and participation needs specific to one-person 401k plans.
- 401k Easy Online for One is for owner-only businesses (including spouse) and businesses with employees that can be legally excluded from participating in the company plan.
- 401k Easy Online for One costs $695 per year + a one-time, first-year-only set-up fee of $995.
- 401k Easy Online for One allows for the same immensely broad spectrum of no-load investments as well as self-directed brokerage accounts as is available with our multipartite 401k Easy Online plans (investment flexibility not common in most one-person 401k plans).
- 401k Easy Online for One allows for 401k loans.
- 401k Easy Online for One allows for the spouse to participate, too.
- 401k Easy Online for One can affordably be converted into a multi-participant 401k plan, should the need arise (if your company expands and takes on additional employees, for instance).
- 401k Easy Online for One can process rollovers from SEP, SARSEP, SIMPLE IRA, traditional IRA, rollover IRA, Keogh, 401k, 403b and 457 plans.
Below are some key draws of the one-person 401k plan in general:
- The employer/business owner may contribute up to $41,000 per year, depending on income.
- 401k contributions come from "pre-tax" dollars. Contributions are not subject to income tax until withdrawn from the 401k account.
- Earnings on 401k investments are also tax-deferred until withdrawn.
- Salary deferrals can equal up to 100% of compensation, up to an annually-adjusted maximum of $15,000 (as of 2008).
- Profit-sharing contributions up to 25% of salary can also be made.
- Participants age 50 and older can contribute an additional "catch-up" contribution of up to $5,000 annually (as of 2008).
- Tax-deferred retirement savings housed within a 401k or other authorized plan are generally excluded from bankruptcy proceedings. Outstanding 401k loans, however, are generally NOT erased by bankruptcy.
You can read further about one-person plans on our 401k Basics page.
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our online 401k systems...
System 2: The 401k Solution - Online Full-Service Plan Administration + Self-Service Plan Participation
Pension Service Associates (PSA) has been a trailblazer in the 401k industry for decades. The company has concentrated primarily on the largely-ignored needs of small and mid-sized companies. in fact, our 401k Easy Online system grew out of innovations made by PSA.
PSA offers an affordable line of full-service plans — The 401k Solution — that participants rank among the most popular plans in the nation. The plans offer online plan participation similar to that offered within 401k Easy Online but all administration duties are handled by PSA personnel (that is, your company does NOT need to do any self-service plan administration).
- PSA's 401k Solution is adaptable to companies of any size. Small-company plans are NOT truncated versions of big company plans.
- Part of PSA's 401k "solution" is affordability without reduced service. By offering of variety of investment mix-plan pricing approaches, companies can choose whether to absorb all the costs of the plan, split the costs with the plan's participants, or have the plan's participants absorb the costs.
- PSA's 401k plans see participation rates that are often nearly TWICE the national average. Investment choice, prompt service, and plan flexibility play major roles in the popularity of 401k Solution plans.
- As with 401k Easy Online, 401k Solution plans allow for automatic participant enrollment, 401k loans and other popular features. They also offer outstanding investment flexibility akin to that offered 401k Easy Online clients.
- A typical 401k Solution 401k plan serving 25 eligible employees costs $2,245 to $3,745 a year, depending on the type of investments chosen (discounts are given for using Class A, B or C load mutual funds).
- The national average for a 401k serving 25 eligible employees is $6,750 to $20,000 a year (and these competitors' plans often lack the quality service and flexible options standard in 401k Solution full-service plans).
For more information about PSA's 401k Solution as well as the company's other retirement plan offerings — 403b plans, SEPs, IRA's and any other IRS-sanctioned retirement savings plan — visit the 401k Solution web site, www.401k-solution.com (page will open in its own window), or call 800-752-4015 during normal business hours (Pacific Time). (The system web site is currently undergoing a redesign, by the way, so please excuse the mess.)
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our offline 401k system...
DOWNLOAD A FREE DEMO OF OUR OFFLINE SYSTEM, 401K EASY FOR THE PC
- Download a demo of 401(k) Easy for the PC at http://401k-easy.com/demo/401keasy.exe (will open in its own window).
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our offline 401k system...
An "Online" Versus "Off-Line" 401k Plan
(This repeats the information within the "Our Online 401k Systems", above.)
Our "online" and "offline" systems differ in a few key ways.
- Where the Software Is Housed: In our online plans, the software used to process your retirement plan data and by which you and your employees access information about your company plan and interact with it is housed on secure servers that you access online (via the Internet). This means that you and your employees have access to your customized system anywhere you can connect to the Internet. In contrast, in our offline plans, your plan-specific software is housed on your desktop PC.
- What the Software Can Do: In our online plans, your customized system handles both user-accessible plan administration as well as plan participation. That is, not only do authorized administrators (whether you, if using our self-serve system, 401k Easy Online, or our professional personnel, if using the full-service system, The 401k Solution) have anytime, anywhere access to the system, but so do your employees. They can log into the Plan Participant Gateway via almost any Internet connection to read about your company plan, join it, select and alter personal investment choices, model and apply for 401k loans (if your company chooses to offer such within its plan), monitor account balances, print account statements, and more. In contrast, in our offline plans, plan participation is done the old-fashioned way: via paper. Plan-specific forms and information are housed within the PC-based software and can be printed for employees on an as-needed basis.
- Renewal: With both our online and offline systems, the right to use the software systems comes with payment of your annual fee (see our Pricing section for details). For online system users, upgrades to the new year's software occurs transparently; we update everything on our end, and you do not have to do anything. In contrast, for our offline customers, they receive a CD of their upgraded software, which they then load into their PC; this takes only a few moments.
- Price: As you might expect, our online systems cost a bit more than the offline, simpler system.
Whether you choose one of our online systems (401k Easy Online or the full-service administration version, The 401k Solution) or our offline system, 401(k) Easy for the PC, we customize your system to the plan and administration design options you choose. Contact us if you have any questions about the differences between the systems or want help evaluating which best suits your company's retirement plan needs.
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our offline 401k system...
401(k) Easy for the PC - Desktop Software for Handling Plan Administration + Paper-Based Plan Participation
Visit 401k-easy.com (page will open in its own window) for complete information about our popular desktop system. Here are a few highlights:
- While scaleable to plans of every size, our desktop system, 401(k) Easy for the PC, is favored by small and very small businesses that operate out of a single location. It allows them to offer an investment-rich plan at very low cost.
- "The Wall Street Journal" said that 401(k) Easy "allows small businesses to manage 401(k) plans as easily as a consumer navigates family finances with programs such as Quicken."
- As with our online systems, 401(k) Easy for the PC allows users to bypass all third-party middlemen and instead interact directly with the mutual fund and/or brokerage account companies they choose for their plan. Not only does this cut through red tape, it also means that 401k contributions often get deposited more quickly.
- As with our online system, 401(k) Easy for the PC allows for most small businesses to run their retirement plan in less than 15 minutes a month.
- As with our online system, 401(k) Easy for the PC allows for extensive investment flexibility.
- As with our online system, 401(k) Easy for the PC allows for you to take control of your 401k plan. You have access to information, processing and more at your fingertips. No more waiting for a some account representative to get back to you.
- As with our online system, 401(k) Easy for the PC allows for versatile plan design. Include or exclude 401k loans, employer contributions and more, and establish parameters regarding whichever you choose to include (contribution and vesting schedules, for instance).
- As with our online system, 401(k) Easy for the PC comes with everything you need to provide your company with a beneficial 401k plan.
Download a demo copy of 401(k) Easy for the PC at http://www.401k-easy.com/demo (the demo will open in a new browser window).
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our offline 401k system...
401(k) Easy for the PC Is an Ideal Cost-Saver for Very Small Companies Operating Out of a Single Location
401(k) Easy for the PC is most popular among very small companies that operate out of a single location as well as small companies for whom Internet connectivity is not a big deal. For such, running the company retirement plan from a single computer or closed network of computers is simple and efficient; little to no convenience is lost in not being able to access the plan over the Web. And the cost-savings of using the desktop system can sometimes be the difference between whether or not a company can afford to offer a retirement plan.
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comparison charts + info...
401k Easy Online vs. 401k Easy For the PC vs. The 401k Solution vs. 401(k) Easy for the PC
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How Do You Want Your 401k Delivered? We provide flexibility in 401k operation, pricing + design |
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OPTION 1: Self-Service 401k Plans |
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401k Easy Online self-service plan-specific administration and participation from any location connected to the Internet |
 Key Features |
Annual Cost | Investment Flexibility | Notes |
 You handle your plan's administration via the Internet through your online Plan Sponsor Gateway, which houses annually-renewed software that we customize to your exact plan. You and your employees participate in the plan via the Internet through your online Plan Participant Gateway, which houses more of your annually-renewed software that we customize to your exact plan. The software is customized to your exact 401k plan as well as to the year's pertinent 401k regulations. Operation takes most small business clients less than 15 minutes a month. |
Pricing starts at $995 a year and increases only with plan size, not options chosen (see notes at right). The first year only, there is also a setup fee of $995 per plan (this fee does NOT vary with plan size) There is free tech support. There is free IRS reporting help. There is a $30 per incident charge per distribution or disbursement (loan, hardship withdrawal, QDRO) but NO annual loan fee nor any fee to offer loans or any other customization option. Visit our 401k Easy Online Pricing page for a complete price list. |
All our systems allow for a practically limitless selection of SEC-regulated no-load mutual funds (including no-load institutional mutual funds), institutional funds and/or the use of self-directed brokerage accounts. You choose the investments you want for your company plan. You can choose as many investments as you like. Free help is available with selecting plan investments. Visit our 401k Easy Online Investments page for more information. |
All of our 401k plans, regardless of the administration + participation approach chosen for them, are highly customizable and professionally tailored to suit your 401k needs. |
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401(k) Easy for the PC run-it-yourself plan administration from your PC using plan-specific software |
Key Features |
Annual Cost | Investment Flexibility | Notes |
| You handle your plan's administration using annually-renewed software you load into your PC. The software is customized to your exact 401k plan as well as to the year's pertinent 401k regulations. Operation takes most small business clients less than 15 minutes a month. |
Pricing starts at $695 a year and increases only with plan size, not options chosen (see notes at right). The first year only, there is also a setup fee of $795 per plan (this fee does NOT vary with plan size) There is free tech support. There is free IRS reporting help. There is a $30 per incident charge per distribution or disbursement (loan, hardship withdrawal, QDRO) but NO annual loan fee nor any fee to offer loans or any other customization option Visit the 401(k) Easy for the PC Pricing page (will open in a separate browser window) for a complete price list. |
All our systems allow for a practically limitless selection of SEC-regulated no-load mutual funds, no-load institutional mutual funds and/or the use of self-directed brokerage accounts. You choose the investments you want for your company plan. You can choose as many investments as you like. Free help is available with selecting plan investments. Visit our 401k Easy Online Investments page for more information. |
All of our 401k plans, regardless of the administration + participation approach chosen for them, are highly customizable and professionally tailored to suit your 401k needs. |
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OPTION 2: Full-Service 401k Plans |
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The 401(k) Solution full-service plan administration with the flexibility of self-service plan participation |
Key Features |
Annual Cost | Investment Flexibility | Notes |
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We handle your plan's administration. You and your employees read about and participate in your company plan via the Internet and the Plan Participant Gateway we create for your specific plan. We help your company prepare its 401k-related IRS reporting materials (Forms 1099, 1096, Summary Annual Report, etc.). |
Pricing starts at $2,390 a year. The first year only, there is also a setup fee of $995 per plan. There is a $50 per year charge for 401k loans, and a $50 per incident charge for distributions. Visit the 401k Solution Pricing page (will open in its own browser window) for a complete price list. |
All our systems allow for a practically limitless selection of SEC-regulated no-load mutual funds, no-load institutional mutual funds and/or the use of self-directed brokerage accounts. You choose the investments you want for your company plan. You can choose as many investments as you like. Free help is available with selecting plan investments. Visit our 401k Easy Online Investments page for more information. |
All of our 401k plans, regardless of the administration + participation approach chosen for them, are highly customizable and professionally tailored to suit your 401k needs. |
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