copilot 401(k)

More than just another 401(k)

As a small business owner, you’ve achieved a level of success that enables you to offer a retirement plan to your employees. But that doesn't necessarily mean you have the time or resources to manage the plan yourself. Sometimes it helps to have a CoPilot by your side.

A CoPilot made for you

CoPilot is a simple, cost-effective solution with all the plan features that make it easy for you and your employees to save for retirement. Count on us to help keep your plan compliant and to deliver high levels of service and support, including proactive notifications to support plan administration. Plan features of the CoPilot 401(k) include:

Low cost, value-focused plan design

Full-service administration

3(38) investment manager

Managed account required

Automatic increase required

Automatic enrollment required

Financial Wellness program

Online plan setup

Participant education support

Plan health reporting

Compliance testing

MyForecast for participants

To learn more about the plan design features and options available with the CoPilot 401(k) plan, download the CoPilot for Plan Sponsors Overview.

Ascensus CoPilot 401(k) investments

CoPilot includes professionally managed investment portfolios that protect you, the plan sponsor. There are thousands of investments to choose from—and as a small business owner, you can't be an expert on all of them. With CoPilot, you don't have to be.

CoPilot 401(k) plans include professionally managed investment lineups from Wilshire Associates, which has extensive processes and resources dedicated to helping participants achieve better investment outcomes. There are two fee-based, low-cost investment lineups: Passive and Hybrid. Both can be used with or without a financial advisor.

Are you currently working with a financial advisor?

CoPilot 401(k) Investments with an advisor

If you are working with a financial advisor, both the CoPilot Passive and Hybrid lineups are available, in addition to two commission-based lineups. Talk with your advisor about which lineup best algins with your plan's goals.

CoPilot Passive Lineup

The CoPilot Passive lineup consists primarily of funds that are passively managed and are designed to track their benchmark as closely as possible.

CoPilot Hybrid Lineup

The CoPilot Hybrid lineup consists of both passively managed mutual funds and active funds that are managed by a professional portfolio manager.

25 Basis Points Lineup

The CoPilot 25 basis point lineup is for advisors that can utilize commission-based lineups and consists of both passively managed and active funds that are managed by a professional portfolio manager.

50 Basis Points Lineup

The CoPilot 50 basis point lineup is for advisors that can utilize commission-based lineups and consists of both passively managed and active funds that are managed by a professional portfolio manager.

CoPilot 401(k) Investments without an advisor

As a small business owner that is considering a CoPilot 401(k) plan, you have a few different investment lineup options to choose from. As the plan sponsor, understanding the differences between the lineups can help you align the goal of the plan with the correct investment lineup.

CoPilot Passive Lineup

The CoPilot Passive lineup consists primarily of funds that are passively managed and are designed to track their benchmark as closely as possible.

CoPilot Hybrid Lineup

The CoPilot Hybrid lineup consists of both passively managed mutual funds and active funds that are managed by a professional portfolio manager.

Investment Goal

CoPilot Passive Lineup

CoPilot Hybrid Lineup

Overall expense ratio

Lowest cost option

Low cost option*

How funds are managed

Passively

Active (managed by professional portfolio manager) and Passively

Fund benchmark performance

Track with their benchmark and has little potential to outperform their benchmark

Potential to outperform their benchmark with risk to underperform their benchmark

 

*Compared to comission-based investment lineups

Ascensus CoPilot 401(k) Plan Pricing

CoPilot retirement plans are designed for small businesses that want a cost-effective and simple 401(k) solution backed by reliable support.

Employer Base Fee $125/month
One time costs  
Implementation Fee $500
Employee fees  
Monthly Recordkeeping $4/participant
Annual Custodial and Trading* 0.07%
Annual Investment Fiduciary* 0.25%

*Fees are shown in annual terms but are deducted monthly. 

As of 07/01/2023
Pricing subject to change.

CoPilot 401(k) participant pricing example

The participant pricing examples below are for illustrative purposes only to demonstrate how the asset-based employee fees listed above would translate into deductions from a participant's account.

 

$10K
Account Balance
  $25K
Account Balance
  $50K
Account Balance
Recordkeeping $4.00/mo   Recordkeeping $4.00/mo   Recordkeeping $4.00/mo
Custodial & Trading $0.58/mo   Custodial & Trading $1.46/mo   Custodial & Trading $2.92/mo
Investment Fiduciary $2.08/mo   Investment Fiduciary $5.21/mo   Investment Fiduciary $10.42/mo
Total Cost**
$6.67/mo
  Total Cost**
$10.67/mo
  Total Cost**
$17.33/mo

** Total cost doesn’t include the investment expenses or any applicable financial advisor service fees. The total cost amount doesn’t represent any specific participant. The actual calculations are determined by an individual's account balance.

Small business 401(k) tax credits

Offering a 401(k) plan with an employer match can help a small or mid-size company stand out from the competition and incentivize exceptional candidates to accept a job offer. In addition, business owners can benefit from a variety of tax advantages when they choose to sponsor a 401(k) plan:

  • Tax savings: Employer matching contributions (up to applicable limits) are tax-deductible for the business.
  • Start-up tax credit: Small businesses can claim a tax credit to help cover costs associated with starting a new retirement plan for up to three years. The SECURE 2.0 Act also added the employer contribution credit for small employers that adopt a new retirement plan and make contributions for their employees.
  • Auto enrollment tax credit: Small employers that implement automatic enrollment may be eligible for an additional tax credit for the first three years the plan is in operation. This feature will be required in most newly established 401(k) plans beginning in 2025 due to SECURE 2.0 provisions.
  • Owner participation: Business owners who also work for the company are able to participate in the plan as well, giving them the opportunity to benefit from the same tax advantages as their employees.
Let's make a plan.

You may also be interested in

Optimize Plan Performance

View additional retirement plan options