Key insights
- The post discusses difficulties encountered when funding a Solo 401k from a business account, highlighting potential compliance hurdles and limitations on electronic fund transfers (EFTs). While the issues raised are specific to the poster's situation, they reflect broader challenges faced by small business owners managing retirement contributions. The negative influence stems from the potential for increased administrative burden and reduced flexibility for small business owners, which could slightly dampen entrepreneurial activity.
We recently opened a Self Employed 401k(Fidelity's name for a Solo 401k) for my wife's LLC and in the process of trying to make the first contribution, we learned that you can't make those from a business bank account. When inquiring at our bank, we were told it has to do with compliance issues, so the contributions need to come from a personal account. We then learned that we couldn't set up to do an EFT from her business account to our personal account. So we went to the bank and were able to fill out a withdrawal/transfer to form and accomplish it, which leads me to these questions.
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The tax return of a sole proprietor LLC, as a pass through entity, goes on to the individual tax return. So why would transferring funds from her business account, funded with pre-tax 1099 income, to the 401k in the business's name be a compliance issue? I can understand it in the case of a business with more than one owner, but not in a sole proprietorship. You are basically taking your money and putting it with your money in the simplest sense.
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Why would you not be able to do an EFT from the business to personal account, yet go to the branch and fill out the form and accomplish the same? Looking into it, this sounds like it may be something bank specific, but what would the reason be?