If you run a business in Michigan and you’re trying to figure out which retirement plan you should have — SIMPLE IRA, SEP, Solo 401(k), Safe Harbor, or a profit sharing design — the answer depends on your payroll, your employee count, and how much you’re actually trying to put away. Most plans get sold on autopilot. This page walks through how the decision really gets made.
A standard 401(k) or SEP-IRA gets you a deduction. A properly designed plan — using profit sharing formulas, comparability testing, and defined benefit layering — can get you $100,000+ in annual deductions while legally minimizing what you’re required to contribute for employees.
We specialize in retirement plan design that goes beyond the template. Whether you’re a solo practitioner or a business with a team, we build the plan that maximizes your benefit.
Every business is different. We analyze your income, age, employee count, and goals to design the plan that produces the most benefit for you specifically.
Retirement plan design matters most when you have business income, employees to consider, or a tax bill you want to reduce. We work with all types of business owners — from solo practitioners to companies with dozens of employees.
Every dollar in your retirement plan is a dollar less in taxable income. Coordination is everything.
Most business owners don’t know if their plan is designed to maximize their benefit — or if it was just set up generically and left alone. Let’s take a look.
Schedule a Free Call → See Our Tax Planning ApproachIt depends on whether you have employees and how much you want to contribute. A business with no employees other than the owner and spouse usually gets the most from a Solo 401(k). A business with employees that wants meaningful owner contributions typically needs a Safe Harbor 401(k) with profit sharing. A SIMPLE IRA fits businesses prioritizing low cost and low administration.
In 2026, total annual additions to one person's 401(k) account are capped at $72,000, or $80,000 at age 50 and older. The owner's own salary deferral tops out at $24,500, so reaching the full amount requires employer match and profit sharing contributions, which is determined by plan design.
A Safe Harbor 401(k) requires the employer to make a set contribution, commonly a 4% match or 3% to all eligible employees, and in exchange the plan automatically passes annual nondiscrimination testing. Owners who have had deferrals refunded after failed testing generally need it. New Safe Harbor plans must generally be effective by October 1.