Home › Industries › Startups & Tech Companies

UPDATED FOR 2026 · 17 STATES · STATUTE-VERIFIED

Retirement mandates for startups, handled.

You hit the threshold fast when you scale — often in several states at once with a remote team. We track all of it.

Check your exposure Book a free 15-min audit

Verified to state statutes 17 states covered No obligation

Small startup team working on laptops in a bright loft office

Compliant & covered17 states · 2026

Example exposure · VA · 21 staff

$4,200/yrCovered*

Do nothing → penalty · your plan → covered*

// why startups & tech companies get caught out

Where the mandate bites businesses like yours.

You scale into scope fast

Hiring sprints push you past the employee threshold fast — sometimes in more than one state at once.

401(k) is table stakes

Engineers expect a 401(k) on day one — it's table stakes for recruiting, not a nice-to-have.

The deadline sneaks up

Founders are heads-down on product; state registration deadlines sneak up with real penalties attached.

A plan that scales

A private 401(k) scales with headcount, equity comp, and multi-state teams where the state IRA won't.

// 60-second check

What does your state actually require?

Pick your state and headcount for your real exposure — data verified against each state's own statute.

Your state

Number of employees

Informational only, not legal or tax advice.

Annual exposure · Virginia

$4,200

RetirePath Virginia · applies at 5+ employees

Get your full breakdown + a private-plan savings estimate:

// state plan vs your own

You can comply two ways. Only one builds anything.

The state auto-IRA

Compliance, nothing else

No employer match allowed
Low Roth-IRA contribution limits
One-size-fits-all investments
No tax credits for your business

RECOMMENDED

Your own 401(k)

Compliant — and working for you

Match if and when you want
Far higher contribution limits
SECURE 2.0 credits offset setup
A real recruiting & retention perk

// the part nobody tells you

Credits can offset much of the startup cost for eligible employers.

Under SECURE 2.0, small employers starting a plan can claim credits toward setup and contributions. The amount depends on your size and phases out over the first years — we model your real number, not a headline.

See what you'd qualify for

$5,000/yr

Startup credit toward administration costs, up to three years.

$1,000/emp

Toward employer contributions for smaller employers, phasing down as you grow.

Low net cost

Credits can offset much of the startup cost for eligible employers. We model your real net.

// startups & tech companies faq

Asked by owners like you.

Our team is remote across five states. Which mandate applies?

Potentially several — obligations generally follow where employees work, so a distributed team can put you in scope in multiple states with different thresholds and deadlines. We map your roster state by state.

We're at 8 people but hiring fast. When should we act?

Before you cross your state's threshold — several states start at 1–5 employees, so you may already be in scope. Setting up a plan early is also dramatically easier than retrofitting one mid-sprint.

Does offering equity count as a retirement benefit?

No — options and RSUs don't satisfy any state's mandate. Only a qualifying retirement plan (401(k), SIMPLE, SEP, pension) or state-program registration does.

Find out where your startups & tech companies business stands.

Book a free 15-minute compliance audit. We'll show your exact requirement, your real exposure, and whether your own plan saves you money.

100% freeNo obligation15 minutes

Get your free audit

Takes 30 seconds. We'll reach out to schedule.

Or call 848-400-4899