Frequently Asked Questions
What is the deadline for establishing a plan for this year?For anyone wishing to save on taxes for 2018, a Defined Benefit plan must be established by December 31, 2018. Contributions are due by the tax-filing deadline including extensions, but not later than eight and one-half months after the fiscal year end. We recommend that anyone wishing to establish a plan for 2018 begin the process no later than December 1, 2018.I heard you can’t use a DB plan if you have employees, is that right?No! A small business owner with 10 or fewer employees can still take advantage of a Defined Benefit plan. You as the business owner can make a large contribution for yourself and lower contributions for employees.
If you have employees, call us at 619-435-1701 or email thoms@orioncapitalmgmt.com to discuss your options.Aren’t Defined Benefit plans expensive to establish and administer?They certainly can be, particularly if the plan documents need to be drawn up from scratch by your own actuary or tax attorney. We at Orion hold down the costs in this regard by using a prototype plan developed and implemented by our pension administration partner. These plan documents are already in use with existing plan owners and are familiar to the IRS. Using a prototype plan is a very cost-effective solution.Are loans from the plan permissible?Yes. DB plans can also be set up to permit participant loans.Why haven’t I heard of a DB plan before?Many professionals for whom DB plans would work very well are not familiar with them. Indeed, we have found that even many CPAs are not well versed on DB plans. The reason may be that only a very small percentage of people are in a position – in terms of age, income and employment status – to capture the large benefits that DB plans offer.
Self-employed professionals in particular, are in a great position to take advantage of these plans.What types of investments can I use in a DB plan?DB plans permit a wide range of investment choices, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and annuities.
At Orion, we offer a range of globally diversified low-turnover investment options. Because the performance of the plan can cause the level of annual required contributions to fluctuate, it is generally advisable to invest the plan assets in an investment portfolio with low volatility.
Is a DB Plan Right For You?
Defined Benefit plans deliver huge savings for professionals in the right situation. Find out if this powerful tool can work for you.
How Much Are Others Saving?
Read our Case Studies showing how DB plans can enable self-employed professionals to save tens of thousands of dollars in tax each year.
How Much Can You Save?
With just a few pieces of information, we can provide you with a customized, preliminary proposal to cut your taxes and increase your retirement savings.
