SIMPLE IRA's

Aug 25, 2008 4:37 pm

What companies do you generally use for SIMPLE IRA’s?  Anything in particular to avoid?

Aug 25, 2008 4:54 pm

I typically do them direct with American Funds.  It's basically inertial more than any other reason.  I've always found them (American Funds) to be an easy business partner.

Aug 25, 2008 6:37 pm
snaggletooth:

What companies do you generally use for SIMPLE IRA’s? Anything in particular to avoid?



Avoid setting up and working with blue collar workers!!! They waste your time and then cash out.. other than that.. best of luck..
I do a lot of Simple IRA's but if possible I try to fund Roth Owner K's.. They are like Single 401K's and you can add the option for Roth and thus really helping plan for retirement and it's a great way to pass along wealth. Plus as long as they have less than 250k they don't have to do the 5500 form. Owner K's are really only options for a husband and wife not someone with employees. (I know you already know many of these items but you asked and I felt like answering)

Miss J
Aug 25, 2008 7:19 pm

i use oppenheimer, american, and franklin.  not alot of difference really.  more choices, fund wise (which is not necessarily a good thing) with oppenheimer/ft.  i am starting to use oppenheimer for smaller companies 401(k) plans.  they have a decent product which is turnkey, sold through a 3rd party, costing under $750/year to administer.  very nice for those companies not wanting to match anything and wanting some of the 401(k) bells and whistles.  the one nice thing about the Jones SIMPLE platform (using their brokerage accounts, not direct) was I could use 5 different fund companies with a 5 person plan, no ticket charges.  i miss that.

Aug 26, 2008 12:51 am

[quote=anonymous]It’s basically inertial more than any other reason.  [/quote]
Ah yes … that pesky old inertial.  Gets me everytime too.  Either that or inertia.  I forget which!

Couldn’t resist a playful jab, anon! 

Aug 26, 2008 1:41 am

ice-you can do a 7 person SIMPLE with your b/d, each person making monthly contributions, say ranging anywhere from $50 to $700/month, each person buying a different fund company, and you get no ticket charges?  that would be nice.

Aug 26, 2008 1:43 am

ice-you can do a 7 person SIMPLE with your b/d, each person making monthly contributions, say ranging anywhere from $50 to $700/month, each person buying a different fund company, and you get no ticket charges?  that would be nice.

Aug 26, 2008 3:53 am
MISS JONES:

[quote=snaggletooth] What companies do you generally use for SIMPLE IRA’s?  Anything in particular to avoid?[/quote]

Avoid setting up and working with blue collar workers!!! They waste your time and then cash out… other than that… best of luck…
I do a lot of Simple IRA’s but if possible I try to fund Roth Owner K’s… They are like Single 401K’s and you can add the option for Roth and thus really helping plan for retirement and it’s a great way to pass along wealth. Plus as long as they have less than 250k they don’t have to do the 5500 form. Owner K’s are really only options for a husband and wife not someone with employees. (I know you already know many of these items but you asked and I felt like answering)

Miss J

  Miss J, how much do these solo K plans cost?  I don't do these so I don't know much about them, but essentially it's for the client's wife, who is self-employed making about $40,000 and does not have any other employees.  Husband does really well, they just want to put as much away as possible.  The Simple beats out the SEP in this regard.  They are in their mid-30's.  Anything roth for them would be a positive.
Aug 26, 2008 11:18 am

I wouldn’t want to do one on a brokerage platform.  I don’t want to deal with clients putting $50/month away asking all sorts of questions.  My preference is for them to use target date funds and I can mostly ignore them. 

Apr 7, 2011 1:38 am

Anything new or will be new to the SIMPLE IRA space? I am going to talk to a small business owner about setting up one next week and this will be my first step into the retirement plan space. I hope to manage a couple small plans and thought this would be as good a place to start as any. Does anyone have a reference guide to help choose the right plan i.e. SIMPLE, SEP, 401k, etc and the main points of difference? Hopefully something client approved I can share.

Thanks

Apr 18, 2011 9:16 am

I can do SIMPLEs through my BD platform, 50+ fund families, fee based or comish, no tickets, no fees to employer, no fees to participant (except standard IRA custodian fee).  No too shabby I guess.