Surgent's Comparing and Contrasting Retirement Plans for Small- and Medium-Sized Businesses

Clients often ask their tax advisors whether they have the "best" pension plan and whether they are using it to its maximum advantage. This program explains how various pension plans work and analyzes why a small or medium-sized business owner would choose one plan over another.

Any tax practitioner who will advise a business owner about selecting a pension plan for his or her business

• Understand the advantages and disadvantages of the major pension-planning options for small- and medium-sized business owners
• Help clients evaluate pension plan options and select the best pension-planning option for them

• Factors business owners should take into account when choosing a retirement plan
• SIMPLE plans
• Simplified employee pension plans
• 401(k) plans
• Defined benefit plans
• Ensuring eligible employees are covered
• Employees’ impact on choice of plan
• Ongoing compliance requirements
• Establishing a plan after the tax year end
• Changes to safe harbor 401(k) plans
• Pooled employer plans
• Defined benefit plans and cash balance plans

Basic individual income taxation rules