Guidant vs My Solo 401k: ROBS Provider Comparison
By Dennis Shirshikov · Published July 26, 2026 · Reviewed July 26, 2026
Choose neither as a universal winner. Guidant may fit buyers who value published IRS-plan-audit qualified-attorney defense-fee wording, ERISA-attorney access, in-house valuation language, and separately priced SBA packaging. My Solo 401k may fit buyers who value lower public base pricing, first-year support included, and more itemized public task language for corporation, plan, EIN, bank, brokerage, transfer, participant, annual-filing, testing, contribution, and vesting work. Those are different service signals, not proof that the two quotes cover the same scope.
Affiliate compensation has no role in this comparison.
Short answer: compare fit, not just price
My Solo 401k publishes the lower base fee schedule in this comparison, and its first-year support is included in the $3,000 setup fee. That can leave more cash available for inventory, payroll, closing costs, or working capital in the launch period. But a lower public total is not the same as an equal service scope, because Guidant publishes broader-adjacent language around ERISA attorney access, in-house valuation, lifetime audit protection, and separately priced SBA packaging, while My Solo publishes more granular ROBS setup and annual-administration tasks.[3][4][5][6]
The practical next step is to request side-by-side written quotes and agreements. The quote should identify who forms the corporation, creates the plan, obtains EINs, opens accounts, coordinates rollovers, prepares filings, handles eligible employees, supports audits, values employer stock, and handles corrections or exit events.
At-a-glance comparison
This quick pass separates the clearest public fit signals before the detailed comparison. Use it to decide which written quote to scrutinize first, not to skip contract review.
Pricing math under the stated assumptions
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 or filing pass-throughs, correction work, termination work, and contract-specific charges are excluded unless quoted in writing. |
| My Solo 401k: Business Financing 401k setup with first-year annual support included, then renewal for first 10 participants[5] | $3,000 | $899/year | $3,000 | $4,798 | $3,000 first year; $3,000 + ($899 × 2) = $4,798 over three years for first 10 participants First-year annual support is included in setup. The $899 annual fee starts 12 months later for the first 10 participants; $75 per additional participant is excluded from this base scenario and must be added if the plan exceeds 10 participants. |
Guidant's starting-price scenario uses its $5,495 starting setup price and $149 monthly administration price: $5,495 + ($149 × 12) = $7,283 for the first year, and $5,495 + ($149 × 36) = $10,859 for three years.[3][4] My Solo's first-year total is $3,000 because the provider says setup includes the first 12 months of ongoing compliance support. The base three-year total is $4,798: $3,000 + ($899 × 2) after the annual fee begins 12 months later for the first 10 participants.[5]
These calculations exclude charges not established in the starting-price assumptions, including state fees, brokerage or custodian costs, investment expenses, add-on services, valuation circumstances outside routine included work, corrections, exit or termination work, and participant charges above My Solo's first 10 participants. They also do not suggest equal service scope.
Detailed 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 | My Solo 401k | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published base pricing | Starts at $5,495 for 401(k) Business Financing and $149 per month for 401(k) Plan Administration.[3][4] | Lists $3,000 setup including first-year annual support, then $899 annually after 12 months for the first 10 participants, plus $75 per additional participant.[5] | Compare written quotes only after separating setup, recurring administration, participant charges, pass-throughs, and add-ons. |
| Corporation, plan, EINs, bank, and brokerage | Guidant states ROBS setup, funding access in as little as three weeks, and coordinated banking; the provider pages cited here do not itemize each formation, EIN, bank, brokerage, or stock-certificate task.[4] | My Solo itemizes corporation formation, plan adoption, EINs for the corporation and plan, corporation bank account, plan brokerage account, transfer forms, employer-stock purchase, and stock certificates.[5][6] | Ask Guidant for a task-by-task setup schedule and ask My Solo who performs, reviews, and signs each item. |
| Ongoing administration | Guidant lists 401(k) Plan Administration starting at $149 per month, compliance review, plan amendments, business valuation, and lifelong business-support language.[3] | My Solo says the first 12 months of ongoing compliance support are included, then lists Form 5500 preparation, 1099-R reporting, participant additions, annual valuation for Form 5500, amendments, statements, contribution and vesting monitoring, nondiscrimination testing, and top-heavy/additions/coverage work.[5] | Do not assume these scopes match. Ask for annual calendars, deliverables, signer responsibilities, and excluded work. |
| Valuation support | Guidant says it has an in-house team of valuation analysts.[3] | My Solo lists annual routine corporation valuation for Form 5500 preparation, says one-time valuations may be needed for additional investment, stock buyback, and distributions, and lists a $495 valuation report service that is free for new clients.[5][7] | Confirm valuation standard, independence, reliance limits, when a full report is needed, and whether fees change after setup. |
| Audit-support wording | Guidant states that Lifetime Audit Protection includes compliance guidance and qualified attorney defense fees if the IRS audits the plan.[3] | My Solo describes IRS/DOL plan-audit help from a dedicated compliance officer, attorney involvement, assistance responding to an IRS or DOL plan audit, and reasonable legal counsel only for the stated tax-court/prohibited-transaction circumstance, with terms and conditions available upon request.[8] | Ask for the actual agreement before treating either statement as fee coverage, agency representation, correction coverage, tax coverage, or penalty coverage. |
| SBA or broader financing coordination | Guidant separately lists SBA Loan Packaging at a $2,500 one-time setup fee and describes a broader menu that includes ROBS, SBA, payroll, tax, bookkeeping, and business valuations.[3] | The My Solo ROBS pages cited here do not define SBA packaging or lender-closing coordination as part of the ROBS setup.[5][6] | If the deal includes SBA financing, compare lender packaging, equity-injection documentation, closing timeline help, and separate charges in writing. |
| Items that need written terms | The Guidant pages cited here do not define participant notices, correction work, exit/termination mechanics, cancellation/refund mechanics, data exports, or transition files.[3][4] | The My Solo pages cited here do not define participant notices, correction work, complete exit/termination mechanics, cancellation/refund mechanics, data exports, or transition files.[5][6][7][8] | Request contract language for each item before choosing either provider. |
Scenario-based fit guidance
These scenarios show when each provider may deserve the first diligence call. The right choice can change once you see written pricing, service exclusions, employee-plan responsibilities, and audit-support terms.
Guidant may still be the better fit for a buyer who wants a broader coordinated services platform, especially where SBA packaging, payroll, tax, bookkeeping, or valuation services are part of the acquisition plan. My Solo may still be the better fit for a buyer who wants a lower-cost, itemized ROBS setup and administration path. The deciding document should be the signed agreement, not a marketing-page summary.
Risks and contract questions to ask before choosing
- Ask exactly which provider prepares the C corporation, plan document, EINs, bank account, brokerage account, rollover paperwork, employer-stock purchase documents, and stock certificates.
- Ask who monitors employee eligibility, computes contributions, tracks vesting, prepares participant notices, and signs or files Form 5500 and Form 1099-R.
- Ask whether annual valuation is a routine estimate, a valuation report, or a transaction-level valuation, and who can rely on it for stock buybacks, distributions, additional investment, or RMDs.
- Ask what audit support includes, who pays attorney fees, whether IRS and DOL matters are treated differently, and whether tax, penalty, correction, VCP, or DFVCP costs are excluded.
- Ask how cancellation, refunds, data export, provider transition, company sale, plan termination, employer-stock buyback, final valuation, and final filing are handled.
- Ask for all state fees, pass-through costs, brokerage or custodian costs, investment expenses, extra-participant charges, add-on services, and renewal increases in writing.
ROBS provider support does not eliminate owner responsibility. IRS and DOL materials identify plan filings, participant issues, rollovers, stock valuation, nondiscrimination, prohibited transactions, provider fees, and service-provider monitoring as issues that can matter in retirement-plan administration.[1][2]
FAQs
Use these answers to pressure-test the two most common shortcuts in this comparison: treating lower price as equal scope, or treating audit-support language as blanket coverage.
Sources and update triggers
- 1. IRS ROBS compliance project
Verified July 26, 2026: the IRS describes ROBS arrangements as involving potential Form 5500/Form 1120, participant, rollover, stock valuation, nondiscrimination, prohibited-transaction, and promoter-fee issues; a determination letter does not approve a provider's operations.
- 2. DOL: Understanding Retirement Plan Fees and Expenses
Verified July 26, 2026: fiduciaries should evaluate service providers by services, fees, bundled and unbundled arrangements, participant notices, cybersecurity practices, provider compensation, and ongoing monitoring.
- 3. Guidant pricing
Verified July 26, 2026: Guidant lists 401(k) Business Financing starting at $5,495 and 401(k) Plan Administration starting at $149 per month; it also states that Lifetime Audit Protection includes compliance guidance and qualified attorney defense fees if the IRS audits the plan, references ERISA attorney access, lists ROBS/SBA/payroll/tax/bookkeeping/business-valuation services, and separately lists SBA Loan Packaging at a $2,500 one-time setup fee.
- 4. Guidant 401(k) Business Financing
Verified July 26, 2026: Guidant says ROBS funding can be accessed in as little as three weeks, starts at $5,495, includes coordinated banking, compliance assurance, and lifetime audit protection, and states that Roth IRAs are not eligible for ROBS.
- 5. My Solo 401k pricing
Verified July 26, 2026: My Solo lists a $3,000 setup fee including first-year annual support; says the initial fee covers corporation formation, 401k/PSP establishment, transfers from IRAs and former employer plans, and the first 12 months of ongoing compliance support; says the $899 annual fee starts 12 months later for the first 10 participants; lists $75 per additional participant; and itemizes corporation, plan, EIN, bank, brokerage, transfer, audit-guarantee, Form 5500, participant-addition, Form 1099-R, annual valuation, amendment, participant-statement, contribution, vesting, nondiscrimination-testing, and top-heavy/additions/coverage support.
- 6. My Solo 401k process
Verified July 26, 2026: My Solo says an attorney and compliance officer are involved from beginning to launch, and describes C-corporation formation, adoption of a new 401k business-financing plan, EINs for corporation and plan, bank and brokerage accounts, transfers from former employer retirement funds, an employer-stock purchase, plan funds wired to the corporation bank account, and stock certificates issued with corporation documents.
- 7. My Solo 401k valuations
Verified July 26, 2026: My Solo says existing-business recapitalization needs an initial valuation, annual valuation is disclosed on annual Form 5500 filing, one-time valuations may be needed for additional investment, stock buyback, and distributions including RMDs, and a valuation report service is listed at $495 and free for new clients.
- 8. My Solo 401k business funding guarantee
Verified July 26, 2026: My Solo says its guarantee applies when customers follow procedures and requirements; includes ongoing access to professionals, a dedicated compliance officer to help with IRS or DOL plan audits, a Harvard Law attorney specializing in 401k/IRA business funding, assistance responding to an IRS or DOL plan audit, reasonable legal counsel to represent the customer in tax court only if the IRS or DOL allege the plan's initial company-stock investment is a prohibited transaction, and terms and conditions available upon request.
Update this comparison when provider pricing pages change, My Solo participant or valuation fees change, Guidant audit or guarantee wording changes, IRS or DOL guidance changes, provider service pages add correction, exit, data, or cancellation terms, or affiliate/referral disclosures change.