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Retirement
Plan Design

CrossPlans designs retirement plans that evolve with your business.

Strategic Plan Design. Practical Execution.

Retirement plan design is about more than forms and filings—it’s about shaping a strategy that works for your business today and adapts for tomorrow.

 

At CrossPlans, we specialize in building custom Qualified Retirement Plans that align with your goals, optimize tax savings, and stay compliant by optimizing technology and utilizing sophisticated industry experts. Our fiercely independent, people-first approach means you get real guidance, not off-the-shelf solutions. Whether you're launching a new plan or improving an existing one, we make the complex feel simple.

Comparing Retirement Plan Types

Choosing the right retirement plan starts with understanding your options. Below is a comparison of the most common plan types, each with unique features and considerations. Use this guide to explore what might work best for your business.

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401(k) Profit Sharing Plans

This employer-sponsored retirement plan allows employees to defer income through payroll deductions. Employers transitioning away from a SIMPLE or from a State Sponsored Plan may add matching, Safe Habor Contributions or profit-sharing contributions.​

401(k) Plan Guide

Advantages:

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  • Optional employee participation

  • Reduces taxable income

  • Tax-deferred growth

  • Allows for Auto-enrollment provisions

  • Employer match or profit sharing allowed

  • Can establish payroll connectivity & payroll integration​

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Cash Balance Defined Benefit Plans

Cash Balance Defined Benefit (DB) Plans guarantee a specific retirement benefit, usually based on pay and service. These plans provide significant contributions and deductions, but have rigid rules and requirements where the employer is responsible for funding the benefit.​

Cash Balance Guide

Advantages:

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  • Allows higher annual corporate contributions

  • Enables greater tax deductions

  • Accelerated retirement savings  for business owners

  • Most sophisticated Qualified Retirement Plan option for employee benefits​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

  • What type of plan works best?
    There is no one type plan that addresses all employer and employee needs. There are a number of plan types and each has their own design features that respond to needs and process of achieving a plan sponsor’s goal. CrossPlans will work with you to understand your goals, your business structure, your employee demographics and build the Plan that scales with your business and your objectives.
  • How does CrossPlans help me select the right retirement plan?
    The right plan is one that advances your goals as a plan sponsor and supports the vision of your business. We start by understanding those goals. Then we design a retirement strategy that helps you reach them with clarity and purpose.
  • What are the impacts of SECURE and SECURE 2.0 on my Plan?
    The SECURE & SECURE 2.0 Acts were some of the most comprehensive and sweeping legislation in the history of ERISA. Many of the provisions for new and enforce Plans have been or are being phased in through 2026 and will be formally adopted in Plan Documents with the forthcoming Cycle 4 Restatement. For more information about these topics, review the following comprehensive overviews: What Employers Need to Know About SECURE Act 2.0 Simple to Safe Harbor Catch Up provisions
  • What tax credits are available for setting up a new Plan?
    The SECURE Act and SECURE 2.0 Act expanded several tax credits to small businesses to encourage them to establish and maintain Qualified Retirement Plans for their employees. These credits can significantly reduce the costs associated with starting and operating a retirement plan. You can find great information on those Startup and Employer Contribution credits here.
  • What are the advantages of setting up a custom 401(k) Plan versus a state-sponsored solution?
    While State sponsored solutions are available at no cost for Plan Sponsors uninterested in offering a Qualified Retirement Plan or concerned with the costs, administrative challenges or testing requirements, the reality is they are burdensome with soft costs in time, questions and challenges with their generic solution. Offering a custom plan crafted around your business, your tax goals and your employee demographics will increase engagement, deductions and employee utilization.
  • Is there a deadline to set up a Plan?
    The passing of the SECURE Act opened up a new functionality under ERISA – specifically the ability to create a Retro-Active Qualified Retirement Plan after the Plan Year ends. There are practical considerations to ensure a Retro-Active Plan is right for your business, but CrossPlans can help your business with a solution during the effective Plan Year or after the year end. Feel free to submit an inquiry or proposal request.
  • What do I need to know if I have long-term part-time (LTPT) employees?
    The SECURE Act and then SECURE 2.0 introduced a new classification of Employee – namely a long-term, part-time Employee. This is an employee who works 500 or more hours for a certain number of years but has failed to meet statutory entry and eligibility requirements in their workplace 401(k) Plan. LTPT employees must now be tracked, accounted for and considered in many (but not all) elements of Compliance Testing, Non-Discrimination Testing and Annual Reporting. More information can be found here.

Ready for a Smarter Retirement Plan?

We build, service, and support Qualified Retirement Plans that evolve with your business. Click to complete the digital form below and get a tailored proposal from our experienced team.

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