A cash balance plan can let a business owner shelter $100,000 or more of income in a single year once the 401(k) is maxed out and the CPA has run out of easy moves. This guide ranks the actuarial firms and third-party administrators (TPAs) that design and run these plans in 2026, and tells you which one fits your entity type, your age, and your W-2.
- Kravitz ranks as the best cash balance plan provider for business owners who already run a 401(k) and need actuarial design layered on top.
- Emparion fits solo owners setting up a single-participant cash balance plan without a large TPA relationship.
- Ubiquity Retirement + Savings handles basic 401(k) administration well but isn't built for complex cash balance design.
- Contributions scale sharply with age: a 55-year-old owner can often shelter far more than a 401(k) alone allows.
- The provider matters less than the tax modeling done before you sign; get that wrong and the deduction doesn't hold up.
Why this matters
A 401(k) profit-sharing plan tops out fast for a business owner past their mid-40s who's already stuffing away the max. A cash balance plan is a defined benefit plan on top of that, and the older the owner, the bigger the number the actuary can justify.
Most CPAs never bring it up because they don't build these plans and don't get paid to know the actuarial math. That's the gap this list closes: who actually runs cash balance plans, and which one matches your situation instead of a generic pitch deck.
Elevated Tax Strategies doesn't administer cash balance plans directly, but the firm models the tax impact before you sign with any provider on this list. That step gets skipped constantly, and it's the reason plans get funded wrong or terminated early. Before you call an actuary, run the numbers through your tax planning software for high-income households comparison or talk to someone who does this analysis for a living.
Best overall: Kravitz. Best for solo owners: Emparion. Best low-cost starting point: Ubiquity Retirement + Savings.
What makes the best cash balance plan provider
- Actuarial specialization — cash balance work is actuarial math, not generic 401(k) recordkeeping
- Coordination with your existing 401(k)/profit-sharing plan — most owners run both, not one or the other
- Annual compliance certification — Schedule SB, actuarial certification, and Form 5500 filings have to be handled every single year
- Flexibility for fluctuating W-2 comp — S-corp owners whose salary moves year to year need a plan design that can absorb it
- Track record with high-income owners near contribution limits — this is not the same skill set as running a small business 401(k)
- Turnaround before year-end deadlines — cash balance plans generally have to be adopted before the entity's tax year closes
Cash balance plan providers at a glance
| Provider | Best For | Standout Feature | Key Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kravitz | Actuarial design layered on an existing 401(k) | Cash balance-only actuarial specialization | Doesn't handle 401(k) recordkeeping itself |
| DWC (DWC ERISA Consultants) | One TPA for both 401(k) and cash balance | Combines plan types under a single administrator | Less name recognition outside retirement-plan circles |
| July Business Services | Bundled documents and compliance testing | Plan document drafting plus ongoing testing in one shop | Less specialized in pure cash balance actuarial work |
| Emparion | Solo business owners, single-participant plans | Built for owner-only and small-practice setups | Depth on complex multi-employee designs is limited |
| Pentegra | Multiple entities or pooled employer plans | Experience with pooled and multiple employer arrangements | Overkill for a single small business |
| Ubiquity Retirement + Savings | Owners who already use them for 401(k) basics | Online-first small business retirement platform | Cash balance design isn't the core specialty |
1. Kravitz: best cash balance plan provider for owners who already run a 401(k)
Kravitz is an actuarial firm that focuses specifically on cash balance plan design, testing, and ongoing compliance work rather than general retirement plan administration. It's built to sit alongside a business's existing 401(k) recordkeeper and TPA, adding the actuarial layer those firms don't do in-house.
Kravitz pros:
- Deep specialization in cash balance actuarial math, not a side offering
- Works with owners already at or near their 401(k) contribution ceiling
- Handles the annual actuarial certification cash balance plans require
Kravitz cons:
- Doesn't replace your 401(k) recordkeeper, so you're managing two relationships
- Makes most sense once contributions justify the actuarial overhead
- Requires coordination between your existing TPA and the actuary
Best for: business owners who already have a 401(k) in place and need cash balance design layered on top of it.
Verdict: Buy if you're already maxing a 401(k) and want a specialist handling the actuarial side.
2. DWC (DWC ERISA Consultants): best for combining both plans under one TPA
DWC administers both 401(k) and cash balance plans as a single third-party administrator, which cuts down on the number of firms an owner has to manage. It's a generalist retirement plan TPA with real cash balance experience rather than a boutique actuarial-only shop.
DWC pros:
- One point of contact for both plan types
- Handles plan document drafting and annual compliance testing together
- Works with small-to-midsize businesses, not just large employers
DWC cons:
- Less deep on pure cash balance actuarial edge cases than a specialist firm
- Onboarding both plans simultaneously takes coordination on your end
Best for: owners who want fewer vendors and are setting up or restructuring both plans at once.
Verdict: Buy if simplicity across both plan types matters more than pure actuarial depth.
3. July Business Services: best for bundled documents and testing
July Business Services bundles plan document drafting with ongoing compliance testing, which matters because cash balance plans require both a properly drafted plan document and annual nondiscrimination testing to stay compliant.
July pros:
- Documents and testing handled under one roof
- Established retirement plan TPA with experience across plan types
- Useful for owners who don't want to coordinate a separate document drafter
July cons:
- Not marketed as a cash balance-only specialist the way Kravitz is
- Owners with unusually complex designs may still need outside actuarial input
Best for: business owners who want plan documents and compliance testing handled together without adding a third vendor.
Verdict: Hold — solid if you're already using them for other plan administration; not the first call for a brand-new complex design.
4. Emparion: best cash balance plan provider for solo business owners
Emparion markets specifically to solo owners and small practices setting up a single-participant cash balance plan, often alongside a solo 401(k). It's positioned as a lower-friction entry point for someone who doesn't have employees to worry about in the plan design.
Emparion pros:
- Built around owner-only and small-practice setups
- Simpler onboarding than firms built for larger employers
- Pairs naturally with a solo 401(k) structure
Emparion cons:
- Less proven track record on complex multi-employee designs
- Solo owners still need a tax strategist to confirm the contribution actually reduces this year's liability
Best for: a solo owner or a two-to-three-person practice wanting a single-participant cash balance plan without a large TPA relationship.
Verdict: Buy for solo owners; Wait if you're adding employees soon, since the design will need to change.
5. Pentegra: best for multiple entities or pooled arrangements
Pentegra has experience running pooled and multiple employer retirement plan arrangements, which matters for an owner with more than one entity or a group of related businesses sharing a plan structure.
Pentegra pros:
- Experience structuring plans across multiple related entities
- Established retirement plan administrator with pooled plan history
Pentegra cons:
- Overkill for a single small business with one entity and a handful of employees
- Adds complexity that a solo or single-entity owner doesn't need
Best for: an owner with multiple related businesses or a pooled employer plan structure.
Verdict: Wait unless you actually operate more than one entity that needs to share a plan.
6. Ubiquity Retirement + Savings: best low-cost starting point, not a cash balance specialist
Ubiquity is an online-first small business retirement platform best known for straightforward 401(k) setup. It's a reasonable starting point for basic retirement plan administration, but cash balance design isn't the core of what it does.
Ubiquity pros:
- Familiar, online-first platform for small business 401(k) basics
- Easier onboarding for owners with no existing retirement plan
Ubiquity cons:
- Cash balance actuarial work isn't the platform's specialty
- Owners with complex or high-contribution designs will likely need a specialist added on top
Best for: an owner who wants a simple 401(k) in place first and will add cash balance design through a specialist later.
Verdict: Skip for cash balance specifically; fine as a 401(k) starting point on its own.
How we ranked these providers
Each provider was weighed against the six criteria above: actuarial specialization, ability to coordinate with an existing 401(k), annual compliance handling, flexibility for variable W-2 comp, track record with high-income owners, and turnaround speed before year-end deadlines. Firms that specialize in cash balance actuarial work outranked generalist retirement plan platforms for that specific use case, even when the generalist is a fine choice for basic 401(k) administration.
Model the deduction before you sign
Confirm a cash balance plan actually cuts your 2026 tax bill first.
Which cash balance plan provider should you choose?
If you already run a 401(k) and you're an owner in your late 40s or older writing a large check to the IRS every year, Kravitz is the default call for the actuarial design work. If you're a solo owner or a two-person practice without a 401(k) TPA relationship yet, Emparion is built for that exact setup. If you want fewer vendors managing both plan types, DWC is the pragmatic middle ground.
Don't pick a provider before an S-corp owner runs the numbers on how the plan interacts with reasonable compensation. A cash balance contribution is calculated off W-2 wages, so if your salary isn't set correctly, the plan design falls apart before it starts. Check how your payroll is structured against payroll software built for S-corp owners before locking in a contribution schedule with any actuary on this list.
FAQ
What is a cash balance plan and how does it differ from a 401(k)?
A cash balance plan is a defined benefit plan that credits each participant a hypothetical account balance based on a formula, unlike a 401(k) where the account grows based on actual investment returns. Business owners typically use it alongside a 401(k), not instead of one, to push total retirement contributions well past 401(k) limits.
How much can a business owner contribute to a cash balance plan in 2026?
Contributions are age-based and actuarially calculated, but owners in their 50s and 60s can often shelter $150,000 to $250,000 or more a year on top of a 401(k). Younger owners see smaller amounts because the actuarial math assumes more years to fund the same target benefit.
Is a cash balance plan better than a SEP IRA for a solo owner?
A cash balance plan almost always allows a far larger contribution than a SEP IRA once an owner is past their mid-40s, since SEP contributions cap out as a percentage of compensation. The tradeoff is cost and complexity: cash balance plans require an actuary and annual filings that a SEP doesn't.
Do I need a TPA and an actuary for a cash balance plan?
Yes, cash balance plans require actuarial certification every year plus plan document drafting and compliance testing, which is why most owners work with a TPA and an actuarial firm together. Some providers on this list, like Kravitz, handle the actuarial piece while a separate TPA handles the 401(k) recordkeeping.
Can I combine a cash balance plan with an existing 401(k)?
Yes, and most business owners who set up a cash balance plan already have a 401(k) profit-sharing plan running alongside it. The two plans are tested together for nondiscrimination purposes, which is why coordination between providers matters as much as the individual plan design.
How long do I have to keep a cash balance plan running?
The IRS expects a cash balance plan to be permanent, and many actuaries recommend running one for at least three to five years before terminating it. Terminating too early can draw IRS scrutiny on whether the plan was ever intended to be a genuine retirement benefit.
What happens if my business income drops after I set one up?
A cash balance plan requires a minimum funding contribution each year regardless of a bad year, which is different from a 401(k) profit-sharing contribution that can flex down. This is exactly why the tax and cash flow modeling has to happen before the plan is adopted, not after.
Is a cash balance plan worth it for a business owner in an S-corp?
It can be, but the contribution is calculated off W-2 wages, so reasonable compensation has to be set correctly first. An S-corp owner paying themselves too little salary will cap how much the plan can actually shelter, which defeats the purpose.
One last thing
The biggest failure point in cash balance plans isn't the provider, it's the timing. Owners set the entity structure and W-2 salary in January, then find out in October that the plan they wanted requires a wage level nobody modeled ahead of time. Get the tax analysis done before you lock in this year's compensation, not after the actuary sends a proposal.
