401(k) Plans for Employers | Saturna Capital

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Build lasting retirement security for you and your team

401(k) plans are considered the cornerstone for organizations to help build the retirement benefit they offer to their employees. To get the most out of your plan it is paramount to partner with a provider who understands all aspects of qualified retirement plan design and is willing to commit the time to fully understand your objectives. Working together, your 401(k) plan can be a powerful tool to help your employees maximize their retirement outcomes.

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Saturna 401(k) Plan Benefits & Features

Flexible Service Models to Meet your Needs

You choose - Saturna offers both full-service and record-keeping only 401(k) solutions to fit your budget and situation. We offer fiduciary advisory services for those currently without a trusted advisor, but are also very happy to work with your current advisor as you see fit.

Open Architecture Investment Platform

Saturna's open architecture platorm offers plan sponsors a selection of Saturna Capital managed mutual funds, as well as an extensive menu of unaffiliated mutual funds, with a variety of investment objectives.

Robust 401(k) Web Platform

Saturna's web platform empowers employers and employees with comprehensive, anytime-anywhere access to manage and monitor all aspects of their 401(k) plans, from contributions and investments to personal data and transactions.

Fiduciary Investment Advisory Services

Being a plan fiduciary is a big liability with many responsibilities. Our 3(21) and 3(38) advisory services strive to provide peace of mind, knowing you will have 401(k) industry experts and experienced mutual fund portfolio managers actively supporting you and your plan.

Plan Details

401(k) Plan Eligibility

Generally, any business may have a 401(k) plan. In establishing a plan, the employer sets the eligibility requirements. For example, employees under the age of 21 or who have not accrued one year of service may be excluded.

Contribution limits

Employee contributions

Eligible employees can elect to defer up to 100% of their compensation up to a maximum of $23,500 for 2025. Employees aged 50 and older can make additional catch-up contributions up to $7,500 for 2025 (SECURE 2.0: $11,250 (for ages 60, 61, 62, and 63).

Employer contributions

Employers may contribute, on behalf of each eligible employee, up to 25% of their compensation or $70,000 (less employee contributions) for 2025, whichever is less.

Employer contributions are tax-deductible up to this level. Amounts contributed in excess, while allowed, are not tax-deductible.

Total contributions

Total (aggregate) contributions for each employee cannot exceed $70,000 (plus catch-up contributions) for 2025.

Funding Deadlines

Employers who want to establish a 401(k) plan must do so by the last day of the plan year (usually the calendar year), which requires in-good-order paperwork to be received by October 31st.

Safe-harbor plans must be established by October 1st.

Fees

Employer Fees

Employers (plan sponsors) are charged an annual fee based on assets. 401(k) Annual fee for Recordkeeping Services and/or TPA Services, Compliance Testing, and Form 5500 Preparation.

Assets	Base Fee
< $250k	$2,760
> $250k	$1,760
Recordkeeping Only Services (No TPA)	$1,000

Employee Fees

Employees (plan participants) are charged a percentage of any investments in non-Saturna assets.

Assets	Non-Saturna Asset Fee
< $499k	0.60%
$500k – $749k	0.46%
$750k – $999k	0.38%
$1MM – $2.49MM	0.30%
$2.5MM – $4.99MM	0.20%
$5MM – $9.99MM	0.18%
$10MM – $14.99MM	0.15%
$15MM – $19.99MM	0.13%
$20MM+	Custom

Affiliated mutual fund trading	None
Plan menu fund trading	None
Mutual fund expenses	Please see a Fund's summary prospectus for details.
Loan initiation fee (if allowed)	$60
Quarterly loan fee (if allowed)¹	$15
Plan departure	$60
Self Directed Brokerage	$500

¹ A quarterly loan fee of $15 ($60 annually) is charged only to those participants who have an outstanding loan, if loans are allowed by the plan.

Solo 401(k)

Solo 401(k)s follow the same asset-based fee schedule, with a reduced annual fee of $500 when plan assets are below $250,000. The annual fee is then waived when plan assets surpass $250,000.

Non-Saturna Employer Costs

Fidelity Bond

A Fidelity Bond (sometimes called a Surety Bond) is a form of insurance that is designed to protect the assets of an employee benefit plan against acts of dishonesty or fraud committed by individuals associated with the plan. An employer that offers an employee benefit plan generally purchases this protection, covering its employees involved with ERISA plans. This is not a product that Saturna offers currently, but we can assist you in finding a provider if needed.

Large Plan Audit

Generally, a plan must be audited when it has more than 100 participants with a balance on the first day of the plan year (120 if the plan has not been previously audited, 100 every year after).

Typically, audits must be completed within seven months after the plan year ends. For example, if you have a calendar year-end plan (December 31), audits must be completed by July 31 of the following year.

Additional Plan Options

Solo 401(k)

Saturna also offers Solo 401(k) Advisory.

Employer contributions to a Solo 401(k) are tax-deductible, plus salary deferrals are deductible, benefiting both your business and you!

Self-Directed Brokerage Accounts

Employers may choose the option of allowing Self-Directed Brokerage Accounts with our wholly-owned subsidiary, Saturna Brokerage Services.

Trades in Self-Directed Brokerage Accounts are subject to the commission schedule detailed in the Guide to Saturna Brokerage brochure. Commissions are paid to Saturna Brokerage Services. Depending on each employee’s investment choices, Saturna Brokerage Services may also receive sales charges (loads) and/or 12b-1 fees from non-affiliated mutual funds and money market funds. Brokerage account owners seeking the protection of insured deposits may opt to enroll in the Dreyfus Insured Deposit Program.

About Saturna Brokerage Services, Inc.

Saturna Brokerage Services (SBS) is a securities brokerage founded in 1986. SBS serves both knowledgeable investors and professionally managed private accounts. It is limited to executing customers’ buy and sell orders at a simple, low commission. All Saturna Brokerage employees are salaried employees of Saturna Capital and receive no commissions.

Compare Plans

Compare key features of our retirement plan options at a glance. Click on a plan name to explore detailed information about each offering.

Plan overview

	Health Savings Account	401(k)	SEP-IRA	SIMPLE-IRA	Cash Balance plans
Key advantage	An HSA is an investment-based savings account that can be used to pay for qualified medical expenses (as defined by the IRS) for you, your spouse, or your dependent(s).	Flexible Employer Contributions Diverse investment options	Easy to set up and maintain Flexible annual funding requirements	Salary deferral plan Less administration than 401(k)	Higher contribution limits Predictable benefits Maximize your savings Lower your taxes.
Eligible Employers	Must offer in tandem a Qualified High Deductible Health Plan	Generally, any business may establish a 401(k)	Any self-employed individual, business owner, or individual who earns more than $750 self-employed income	Businesses with 100 or fewer eligible employees and who do not currently maintain any other retirement plan	Generally any business may establish a cash balance plan, employees must have worked at least 1,000 hours and have taxable domestic income
Funding Responsibility	Funded by salary deferral and employer contributions	Funded by salary deferral and employer contributions, if elected under the plan; employer profit sharing	Employer contributions only	Funded by salary deferral and employer contributions	Cash Balance Plans are defined benefit pension plans with required annual contributions
Contribution Flexibility	2025: Individual: $4,300 Family: $8,550	Mandatory employer matching contributions (if elected)  Discretionary profit-sharing	Discretionary contributions	Mandatory employer contributions	Contribute more than $50,000 to your retirement accounts. Currently contribute, or want to contribute 3-4% to employees accounts. Have highly compensated employees.

Plan Features

	Health Savings Account	401(k)	SEP-IRA	SIMPLE-IRA	Cash Balance plans
Roth Accounts?	No	Yes	No	No	No
Loans?	No	Yes	No	No	Possible
Age Restrictions?	Yes, may exclude employees under age 18	Yes May exclude employees under age 21	Yes May exclude employees under age 21	None	Yes, may exclude employees under age 21
Employer-Paid Fees?	Dependent on plan	Annual fee	None	None	Yes
Catch-up Contributions?	$1,000 (age 55 and older)	Yes	None	Yes	N/A

Additional Details

	Health Savings Account	401(k)	SEP-IRA	SIMPLE-IRA	Cash Balance plans
Vesting	Employee and Employer contributions are immediately 100% vested	Employee salary-deferrals are immediately 100% vested Employer contributions may be subject to a vesting schedule	Contributions are immediately 100% vested	Contributions are immediately 100% vested	Employer contributions may be subject to a vesting schedule
Maximum Annual Contribution Per Employee	2025: Individual: $4,300 Family: $8,550	Employee: The lesser of $23,500 for 2025 or 100% of compensation (plus catch-ups) Employer: May be set by plan Overall maximum contribution (from all sources) is 100% of compensation, not to exceed $70,000 for 2025 (plus catch-ups)	Employee: N/A Employer: The lesser of $70,000 for 2025, or 25% of annual compensation (25% of self-employed income)	Employee: The lesser of $16,500 for 2025, or 100% of compensation (plus catch-ups) Employer: Either match employee contributions dollar-for-dollar up to 3% of compensation (maximum $16,500 for the 2025 plan year); can be reduced to as low as 1% in any 2 out of 5 years Or A 2% nonelective contribution of each eligible employee's compensation up to the annual income limits of $350,000 for 2025.	Maximum annual benefit can be up to $280,000 for 2025. Cash balance lump sum maximum for 2025 is $3,500,000. Contribution amounts vary by year, but are based on factors such as the participant's age, income, and estimated years to retirement.
Establishment Deadlines	Anytime	The last day of the employer's plan year (usually calendar year)	Employer's tax-filing deadline, including extensions	Oct. 1 of the year in which the plan is being established	The deadline to establish a cash balance plan is typically the tax filing deadline for the year the plan is to be effective
IRS Reporting by Employer	Form 8889	Form 5500	None	None	Form 5500

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a 401(k)?

A 401(k) is an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan that allows employees to contribute a portion of their salary, through payroll deductions, on a pre-tax or post-tax (Roth) basis. Employees invest these contributions into an array of diversified mutual funds, helping your employees achieve better retirement outcomes. Employers may also enhance retirement outcomes through a matching or profit-sharing program.

Why should my company consider a 401(k)?

Offering a 401(k) plan can help your company attract and retain top talent by providing employees with a valuable benefit that supports their long-term financial well-being. A 401(k) plan allows employees to save for retirement with tax advantages, while employers benefit from tax deductions on contributions. Additionally, Saturna’s full-service 401(k) plans reduce the administrative burden on your company, streamlining plan management, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

Why Choose Saturna?

We are not your typical “big box” 401(k) provider where one solution fits all. After collecting feedback from hundreds of plan sponsors, we have realized that each client has its own unique needs and requirements.

Based on this insight, we built our 401(k) product to be comprehensive, yet flexible - we can be your one-stop shop for 401(k) services, covering recordkeeping, TPA, and investment advisory services to employers, or we are happy to play just a part if you have other providers you'd like to use.

We Handle the Headache for You

Don't let convoluted regulatory requirements deter you from offering the best retirement plan for your employees. Focus on running your business - we’ll handle the rest.

A Wide Range of Investment Choices

We offer an open-architecture investment platform allowing you to provide a prudent investment lineup for your employees. Any recordkeeping asset based fees are always waived on Saturna Capital’s proprietary funds.

A Flexible Service Model

Plan administration to match your needs. Full service model provides both recordkeeping and Third Party Administration (TPA) services. If you already have a trusted TPA supporting other areas of your business we provide a recordkeeping only model at a reduced cost.

“Real value for your money”

Saturna enlists an independent third-party 401(k) benchmarking service to ensure we are offering higher service levels at lower fees relative to our competition. We are happy to generate a custom report comparing your plan against plans of similar employee size and total plan assets.

Personalized Service

You can work on a first-name basis with our tight-knit team of plan experts, who are dedicated to providing thoughtful and personal service to you and your plan.

Transparency, Accountability

Our fee structure is built on transparency. Unlike many other providers, we automatically compare your plan assets to our breakpoint price schedule each year to see if your plan is eligible for a fee reduction. Additionally we allows employers to combine all the assets held by their employees in any Saturna Employer Services product (401k, HSA, CB) to receive the breakpoint fee reduction.

Resources

401(k) Employer Brochure

401(k) Adviser Brochure

401(k) Forms

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Contact

For additional assistance, we encourage you to reach out to our Retirement Plan team by calling 833-STC-401K (833-782-4015)

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