A survey published by T. Rowe Price found that women are saving significantly less than men for retirement, so a solo 401k plan may be a good way to bridge this savings gap.

Here are some findings from the survey:

• Baby boomer women have a median 401(k) savings balance of $59,000, while baby boomer men have median 401(k) savings balance of $138,000.
• Millennial women have a median 401(k) balance that is $30,000 less than the median balance of millennial men.
• As for  median income, women earn about $27,000 less than men, so this may be a contributor factor. Women are deferring less of their income to their 401(k)s when compared to men.
• Women also don’t use other retirement accounts as much as man, with 10% saying they use other vehicles compared to the 32% of men.
• Retirement Expectations. Women are more likely to believe they will have to reduce their standard of living in retirement (46%) compared to men (37%). Further, nearly half of men believe they will live as well or better in retirement compared to when they were working, compared to one-third of women who expressed that sentiment.
• Life in Retirement. Significantly more women are single or widowed once in retirement compared to men: Within the first five to 10 years of retirement, 33% of women respondents were either widowed or divorced compared to 17% of men, and after 11 years, the number of single or divorced women increased to 45%, while the number of men barely changed at 18%.
• Financial Advice. Both men and women cited ease of use as their most favored attribute for financial advice. However, women place more importance on advice that fits into their work or personal schedule, as opposed to men who place more importance on advice that alerts them to critical developments in their accounts.

In sum, both men and women can use a solo 401k to help save for retirement, and many do. We have found that about 20% or our solo 4o1k clients not only contribute to their solo 401k pan but also their full-time job 401k plan as well as IRAs.  In order to qualify  for a solo 401k plan, you have to be self-employed with no full-time W-2 employees. Also, contributions to the solo 401k plan are based on net earned income from the self-employed business not from your day-time job W-2 income.

General Information regarding Solo 401k Contributions:

Solo 401k contributions are based net- income from self-employment (i.e. you can’t contribute more than you make).

You can make the contributions from your business or personal checking account as long as the funds stem from self-employment income.

The total contribution limit for tax year 2019 is $56,000 plus an additional $6,000 catch up if age 50 or older. For 2018, the total contribution limit was $55,000 or $61,000 if age 50 or older.
To make the contribution, you will make the check payable in the name of the solo 401k and write “Annual Contribution” on the memo section of the check.

You can use our on-line solo 401k contribution calculator to calculate the contribution amount.

Here is the link and it works best on Internet Explorer browser.

https://www.mysolo401k.net/Calc/Individual401kContribution.html

You may also use the online annual contribution form located on our website to internally document the contribution. This form is for your records only.

https://www.mysolo401k.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Solo_401k_Annual_Contribution_Form.pdf

Here is additional information regarding the solo 401k contribution rules.

Solo 401k Contributions

The business owner acts in both capacities in a solo 401k plan: employee and employer.  As such, the business owner can make both contribution types: employee and employer. (Note: Matching contributions do not apply to a Solo 401kplan).

Type 1 Contribution (Employee): Employee contributions also known as elective deferrals up to 100% of net earnings from self-employment income up to the annual contribution limit; Note: See information below regarding how to determine your self-employment income for contribution purposes since it depends on how your self-employed business is organized (e.g. sole proprietor, S-Corp, etc.).

2019: $19,000 plus an additional $6,000 catch-up contribution if you are 50 or older; and

Note: If the Solo 401k participant is participating in another qualified plan such as a 401k plan offered through a w-2 “day job,” any employee contributions made by the individual to such plan will be aggregated with any employee contributions made to the Solo 401k plan in determining whether the limit has been met.

Type 2 Contribution (Employer): Employer profit sharing contributions up to:

• If taxed as an unincorporated business (e.g., sole proprietor or partnership) then 20% of net business income (i.e. from Line 31 on Schedule C or Line 14 of K-1 as applicable) after deducting one-half of self-employment tax; or
• If taxed as a corporation, then 25% of w-2 income.

Note: For a solo 401k with multiple participants (e.g. husband and wife), the employee & employer contribution limits are calculated for each participant individually (i.e., based on each person’s self-employment income).

Total Contributions: Total contributions to a solo 401k plan cannot exceed $56,000 for 2019, plus an additional catch-up amount of $6,000 if age 50 or older.  Please note that if you intend to also make Roth and/or after-tax contributions, please contact us for more information on making such contributions.  See more regarding making voluntary after-tax contributions below.

IMPORTANT:  The annual solo 401k contribution limits depends on the type of entity sponsoring the solo 401k plan.

• If the entity type is a Sole Proprietor, it is equal to line 31 of Schedule C(after deducting one-half of self-employment tax).
• If the entity type is a C-Corporation, it is equal to W-2income from your self-employed business (“Box 1 plus any pre-tax elective deferrals NOT in Box 1).
• If the entity type is an S–Corporation, it is equal to W-2income from your self-employed business (“Box 1 plus any pre-tax elective deferrals NOT in Box 1).
• If the entity type is a Partnership, it is equal K-1 (Form 1065) line 14 from your self-employed business (after deducting one-half of self-employment tax).

Note: To determine the amount equal to one-half of the self-employment tax, please take the following steps:

• Navigate to our online calculator: https://www.mysolo401k.net/Calc/Individual401kContribution.html
• For Business Type: select “Unincorporated Sole Proprietorship”
• Enter your net income as applicable (e.g. for a Sole Proprietor enter net income from line 31; for a Partnership enter Line 14 from your K-1).
• Enter your age
• Click “View Report”
• In the sentence beginning “*Calculated as net business income…” the amount equal to one-half of the self-employment tax will appear in the phrase “Self-Employment Tax of ___”

Solo 401k Contribution Deadlines:

The self-directed 401k contribution deadlines are based on the type of entity sponsoring the solo 401k.

• If the entity type is a Sole Proprietorship, the annual solo401k contribution deadline is April 15, or October 15 if tax return extension is timely filed.
• If the entity type is an LLC taxed as an S-Corporation (calendar year), the annual solo401k contributiondeadline is March 15, or September 15 if tax return extension is timely filed.
• If the entity type is an LLC taxed as a Partnership (calendar year), the annual solo401k contribution deadline is March 15, or September 15 if tax return extension is timely filed.
• If the entity type is a Partnership (calendar year), the annual solo401k contribution deadline is March 15, or September 15 if tax return extension is timely filed.
• If the entity type is an S-Corporation (calendar year), the annual solo401k contribution deadline is March 15, or September 15 if tax return extension is timely filed.
• If the entity type is an C-Corporation (calendar year), the annual solo401k contribution deadline is April 15, or September 15 if tax return extension is timely filed.

Making Voluntary After-Tax Contributions

What is the maximum amount of voluntary after-tax contributions that I can make?

You can contribute up to the lesser of (i) 100% of your self-employment compensation (i.e. see below information regarding how to determine your self-employment compensation) or (ii) the overall limit ($55,000 for 2018 contributions, $56,000 for 2019 contributions) reduced by any pre-tax or Roth employee contributions/salary deferrals and any pre-tax employer/profit sharing contributions.

The amount of self-employment compensation depends on the type of entity sponsoring the solo 401k plan [SEE ABOVE].

When is the deadline to make voluntary after-tax contributions?

The self-directed 401k contribution deadlines are based on the type of entity sponsoring the solo 401k. [SEE ABOVE].

How do I make the voluntary after-tax contributions?

• To make the contribution, you will make the check payable in the name of the solo401k and write “Annual Contribution” on the memo section of the check.
• Deposit the amount of the voluntary after-tax contributions that you elect to make in the separate voluntary after-tax sub-account.
• You will then transfer the funds to the Roth sub-account for the Solo401k.  Please let us know right away when you do so that we can send you the applicable forms to capture the information that we need to handle the required 1099-r (which we will do as part of our services for no additional charge).

Where do I report the voluntary after-tax contributions?

• For self-employment income reported on a w-2, you may (but are not required to) report voluntary after-tax contributions in Box 14 of the w-2.
• For all others, there is no place to report voluntary after-tax contributions.

Where do I report the conversion of funds form the voluntary after-tax sub-account to the Roth sub-account?

• On Form 1040, report the amount converted in Line 4a and “0” in Line 4b unless there is a taxable gain.  Enter the word “Rollover” next to line 4b.
• A taxable gain would result if the funds in the after-tax account accrued a gain after being contributed to such account in which case the amount of such gain is a taxable and needs to be listed on Line 16b.

Retirement accounts such as the solo 401k plan, SEP IRA and SIMPLE IRA are popular choices for the self-employed because they are inexpensive to establish, maintain and minimum IRS reporting applies.

While businesses structured as  sole proprietorships, partnerships and corporations can qualify to open all three types of retirement accounts (i.e., solo 401k, SEP and SIMPLE), a solo 401k plan cannot be opened by state and local governments or any political subdivisions, tax-exempt organizations or business with full-time employees.

Te following charts compare all three self-employed retirement plan types  more closely.

Eligibility

While all three plans can be utilized by the self-employed, the solo 401k plan is more restrictive from an eligibility perspective because it can only be established by owner-only businesses. See the following chart for more on the eligibility requirements for each type of plan.

Plan Opening and Contribution Deadline

The establishment deadline for each plan type is different and contribution types and deadlines also vary. See the following chart for more.

Distributions

Unlike the SEP IRA  and SIMPLE IRA where distributions can be made at anytime, distribution triggering events apply to solo 401k plans. Also, the mandatory 20% federal tax withholding rule applies to solo 401k plans but not to SEP IRAs and SIMPLE IRAs. See the following chart for more.