Guidant vs IRA Financial: ROBS Provider Comparison
Choose neither as a universal winner. Guidant is easier to diligence for public recurring administration math, valuation language, SBA packaging and narrower IRS-plan-audit defense-fee wording. IRA Financial is easier to diligence for a lower public first-year promotional display and explicit C corporation/new 401(k) setup wording. Use this page to decide which written quote to scrutinize first, not to treat public page snippets as complete contracts.
By Dennis Shirshikov · Published July 26, 2026 · Reviewed July 30, 2026
Short answer
A ROBS transaction moves eligible retirement-plan assets into a qualified retirement plan sponsored by a C corporation. The plan then buys employer stock, and the corporation receives business capital. That structure can avoid an immediate taxable distribution, but it also creates a real retirement plan with annual administration, valuation, participant and filing duties.
Guidant publishes more recurring administration detail. Its public starting-price scenario is $5,495 for 401(k) Business Financing plus $149 per month for plan administration. IRA Financial publishes a lower first-year display for ROBS 401(k): $3,500 setup plus $1,000 / first year when the SUMMER200 promotion applies. Those are not same-scope totals. The IRA Financial renewal amount and complete fee-schedule controls are not published in the checked ROBS page and terms, so a three-year IRA Financial number would be made up.
At-a-glance comparison
Pricing math and promotion limits
Public starting-price arithmetic. These totals are not equivalent-scope quotes.
| Provider scenario | Setup | Recurring administration | First year | Three years | Formula and exclusions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guidant: 401(k) Business Financing plus starting administration[3][4] | $5,495 | $1,788/year | $7,283 | $10,859 | $5,495 + ($149 × 12) = $7,283; $5,495 + ($149 × 36) = $10,859 Starting prices only. SBA Loan Packaging, payroll, tax, bookkeeping, state fees, pass-through charges, corrections, termination, additional valuation work and contract-specific items need a written quote. |
| IRA Financial: ROBS 401(k) with SUMMER200 first-year display[5][6] | $3,500 | Renewal not published | $4,500 | Not computed | $3,500 setup + $1,000 first-year account-fee display = $4,500 first year; no three-year total because renewal and controlling fee inputs are incomplete The $1,000 display is first-year promotional pricing tied to SUMMER200, not a published recurring renewal. Renewal amount, fee-schedule control, custodian fees, transaction fees, wire fees, third-party costs and other charges require written confirmation. |
Guidant arithmetic uses only public starting prices: $149 per month equals $1,788 per year, so $5,495 + ($149 × 12) = $7,283 and $5,495 + ($149 × 36) = $10,859. That excludes separately priced or contract-specific items such as SBA packaging, payroll, tax, bookkeeping, state charges, corrections, termination and pass-through costs.
IRA Financial's $1,000 first-year display is tied to a promotion. The SUMMER200 terms apply to new accounts opened July 15, 2026 through August 31, 2026, require the code at application submission, include ROBS 401(k), provide a one-time $200 credit applied to the first-year account fee, and do not apply to custodian fees, transaction fees, wire fees, expedited processing fees, third-party costs or any other charges.[6] Because the checked sources do not publish a complete renewal amount, this page intentionally contains no IRA Financial three-year total.
Service comparison
Detailed comparison based on the provider pages cited here. A blank in public language is a contract question, not a conclusion about actual service quality.
| Question | Guidant | IRA Financial | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROBS setup | Guidant publishes 401(k) Business Financing starting at $5,495 and describes coordinated banking, compliance assurance and lifetime audit protection.[3][4] | IRA Financial publishes a $3500 setup fee and says it will establish a C Corporation and new 401(k).[5] | Ask each provider for the exact corporation, plan, rollover, stock-purchase, bank, brokerage and signing deliverables. |
| Ongoing administration | Guidant publishes 401(k) Plan Administration starting at $149 per month, including compliance review, plan amendments, business valuation and lifelong business support.[3] | IRA Financial says it provides ongoing maintenance and administration services to keep you IRS compliant, but the checked public sources do not publish a recurring renewal amount after the promotional first-year display.[5] | Ask for annual renewal, participant fees, filing support, testing, contribution, vesting, notices and amendment or restatement fees. |
| Pricing comparison | Guidant's reproducible starting scenario is $7,283 in year one and $10,859 over three years before excluded add-ons.[3][4] | IRA Financial's reproducible scenario is $4,500 in year one if SUMMER200 terms apply. A three-year total is not computed because renewal and fee-schedule inputs are incomplete.[5][6] | Compare only same-scope written quotes, not one provider's recurring math against another provider's promotion-limited first year. |
| Valuation and SBA coordination | Guidant states a business valuation is required for annual reporting and says it has an in-house valuation team. It separately lists SBA Loan Packaging at a $2,500 one-time setup fee.[3] | IRA Financial's checked ROBS page does not state employer-stock valuation support or SBA packaging scope.[5] | Ask who performs initial, annual and exit valuations, what triggers extra valuation work, and whether lender or franchise coordination is included. |
| Audit wording | Guidant says Lifetime Audit Protection includes compliance guidance and qualified attorney defense fees if the IRS audits your plan.[3] | IRA Financial says Guaranteed IRS audit protection on the ROBS page, while its terms say it is not a law firm and does not provide legal, accounting or other professional services.[5][6] | Ask for the audit agreement, exclusions, fee caps, responsible attorney, taxes, penalties, correction costs and agency-response scope. |
| Custody and third-party costs | Guidant's checked pages do not provide a complete contract fee schedule for every pass-through or third-party cost.[3][4] | IRA Financial's terms say the SUMMER200 credit does not apply to custodian fees, transaction fees, wire fees, expedited processing fees, third-party costs or any other charges.[6] | Ask for the controlling fee schedule, custodian charges, transaction charges, wire fees, expedited fees, refunds, transition exports and termination costs. |
When a source is silent, that silence is treated as a contract question. It is not proof that the provider does not perform the task, and it is not proof that the task is included without extra cost.
Fit scenarios, with no universal winner
A lower public first-year display can matter, but price alone does not decide a ROBS provider. Employee eligibility, annual filings, valuation, audit response, corrections, exit work and data handoff can matter more once the business hires employees, changes ownership, struggles, sells or terminates the plan.
Questions to confirm before signing
- Which entity, plan, EIN, bank, brokerage, rollover and employer-stock documents are included, and who signs each one?
- What recurring administration fee applies after IRA Financial's first year, and which fee schedule controls if a promotion page and agreement conflict?
- Which participant-addition, eligibility, contribution, vesting, testing, Form 5500, Form 1099-R, Form 945, Form 1120 and notice tasks are included?
- Which valuations are included at setup, annually, after new financing, at sale, at redemption and at termination?
- What exactly does audit protection cover: agency response, attorney selection, attorney fees, tax court, taxes, penalties, corrections, prohibited transactions, VCP or DFVCP?
- What happens if you cancel, move providers, close the business, sell assets, redeem employer stock, terminate the plan or need participant data exports?
FAQs
Use these answers to pressure-test sales calls and written agreements. They are educational, not individualized legal, tax, fiduciary, valuation or investment advice.
Sources
These sources were reopened for the provider facts, pricing, promotion conditions and official ROBS boundaries used above.
- IRS ROBS compliance project
Verified July 30, 2026. The IRS describes ROBS as retirement funds used to buy stock of a new C corporation. Its compliance project asks about plan status, contribution history, rollover or direct transfer information, participants, stock valuation and purchases, business information, and missing Form 5500/5500-EZ or Form 1120 filings. It also says determination letters do not protect operational failures.
- DOL: Understanding Retirement Plan Fees and Expenses
Verified July 30, 2026. The DOL says fiduciaries must evaluate whether plan services are necessary, whether costs are reasonable, what services are included, direct and indirect compensation, bundled and unbundled arrangements, participant information, ongoing monitoring, and cybersecurity practices.
- Guidant pricing
Verified July 30, 2026. Guidant lists 401(k) Business Financing starting at $5,495 and 401(k) Plan Administration starting at $149 per month. The page states Lifetime Audit Protection includes compliance guidance and qualified attorney defense fees if the IRS audits your plan, mentions ERISA attorney access, One-Stop Shop for ROBS, SBA, payroll, tax, bookkeeping and business valuations, compliance review, plan amendments, business valuation, lifelong business support, and separately lists SBA Loan Packaging at a $2,500 one-time setup fee.
- Guidant 401(k) Business Financing
Verified July 30, 2026. Guidant states ROBS funding can be accessed in as little as three weeks; quotes starting at $5,495; says coordinated banking, compliance assurance and lifetime audit protection; describes a one-stop shop for ROBS, SBA, payroll, tax, bookkeeping and business valuations; says the Guidant Guarantee applies if a client is not completely satisfied with setup services; and states Roth IRAs are not eligible for ROBS.
- IRA Financial ROBS 401(k)
Verified July 30, 2026. IRA Financial's ROBS page shows ROBS 401(k) pricing with $1,200 crossed out, $1,000 / first year, Promo: SUMMER200, $200 OFF, and a $3500 setup fee. It states no hidden fees, live chat and phone support, ROBS specialists, ongoing maintenance, administration services to keep you IRS compliant, establish a C Corporation and New 401(k), set up a C Corp and create a qualified plan on your behalf, and Guaranteed IRS audit protection.
- IRA Financial terms and SUMMER200 promotion
Verified July 30, 2026. IRA Financial says it is a retirement account facilitator, document filing, and do-it yourself document service, not a law firm, and that it does not provide legal, accounting or other professional services. Its SUMMER200 terms apply to new accounts opened July 15, 2026 through August 31, 2026; include ROBS 401(k); require the code at application submission; provide a one-time $200 credit applied to the first-year account fee; exclude custodian fees, transaction fees, wire fees, expedited processing fees, third-party costs and any other charges; may be modified, suspended or terminated; and leave standard agreements and fee schedules in force.