Questions? Call us: (614) 396-7652
Your high-income business owner clients can still adopt a profit sharing or defined benefit plan for 2026, up to the business’s filing deadline including extensions.
A quick reference for tax season.
We’ll run the numbers before you file
| Plan | Adopt for 2026 by | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New profit sharing plan | Business filing deadline, including extensions | Employer contributions only |
| New defined benefit or cash balance plan | Business filing deadline, including extensions | Largest deduction for owners 45 and older |
| Solo 401(k) | Filing deadline, not including extensions | Sole proprietors and single-member LLCs; first-year deferrals allowed after year end |
| New 401(k) deferrals in a group plan | December 31, 2026 | Deferrals cannot be made retroactively |
| Business type | Filing deadline | With extension |
|---|---|---|
| S corporation or partnership | March 15, 2027 | September 15, 2027 |
| Sole proprietor or single-member LLC | April 15, 2027 | October 15, 2027 |
| C corporation | April 15, 2027 | October 15, 2027 |
Retroactive adoption under the SECURE Act and SECURE 2.0 Section 317. A return on extension keeps the adoption window open until the extended date.
FIRST 2027 DEADLINES corp and partnership returns are due March 15, 2027, or September 15 with an extension
That is usually a defined benefit conversation. Once an owner is at the $72,000 defined contribution limit, a defined benefit or cash balance plan is the next layer of the Stack, and for owners in their 50s and 60s it can add a six-figure deduction.
We design the plan with our actuary, show you and your client the numbers, and handle the administration. You stay the tax advisor.
Learn more: The Retirement Plan Stack | Cash Balance Plans | Tax Strategies for Business Owners
You stay the tax advisor. We handle the plan.
1
Send us the business’s most recent return and a basic employee list.
Our actuary designs the plan and estimates the deduction.
We share the design with you and your client before anything is signed.
Plan documents, actuarial work, testing, and filings, every year.
Learn more: 2026 Savings by Age | Cash Balance Plans | The Retirement Plan Stack | Tax Strategies for Business Owners | About Us
Yes. Under the SECURE Act, a new profit sharing or defined benefit plan can be adopted up to the business tax filing deadline, including extensions, and treated as adopted for 2026.
Not in a group plan. Elective deferrals must come out of 2026 compensation, so a new 401(k) feature needs to be in place before year end.
Under SECURE 2.0 Section 317, sole proprietors and single-member LLCs can adopt a solo 401(k) after year end and make first-year deferrals, up to the filing deadline without extensions.
Yes. For plans funded by employer contributions, the adoption deadline follows the extended due date of the return.
It depends on the owner’s age, income, and staff. For owners in their 50s and 60s, defined benefit contributions often reach six figures a year.
The most recent business return, owner compensation, and a basic census with dates of birth, hire dates, and pay.
We do. Plan documents, actuarial work, testing, and Form 5500 filings are handled in house by Life, Inc.
Life, Inc. Retirement Services does not offer tax advice. Please always consult your tax professional about your eligibility for tax credits.
Life, Inc. Retirement Services is a Registered Investment Advisory Firm of the state of Ohio and licensed in Florida and Maryland. All emails and communication are meant to be informative and educational and should not be considered a sale of security until proper notification and disclosures are given.