Direct Answer: Different Fits, Not One Winner
Guidant and Pango Financial both sell ROBS-related services, but their public pages make different facts easy to verify. Guidant publishes a $5,495 starting setup price, $149/month starting administration, audit-defense fee language, ERISA-attorney access, in-house valuation language, plan-amendment language and a separate $2,500 SBA Loan Packaging price.[3][4] Pango publishes more itemized DreamSpark setup tasks, $129/month maintenance, online access, employee-maintenance tasks and a new-business-only valuation inclusion, but its current public materials conflict on setup price: $4,695 appears in several DreamSpark passages and $3,995 appears in one FAQ answer.[5][6][7][8]
The practical decision is therefore not “which brand wins?” It is which public strengths match your needs, which unanswered contract terms are material, and whether Pango confirms the applicable setup amount before you rely on a price comparison.
What Each Provider Publicly Says It Does
Pricing: Public Math Before Contract Scope
These totals are independently recalculated from public setup and monthly inputs. They are useful for diligence, but they are not equivalent-scope quotes. Guidant uses starting prices. Pango cannot be reduced to one setup number from the live checked materials. The unavailable Pango pricing URL is disclosed below and is not used as support.
| Provider and public input | Setup | Monthly | First year | Three years | Formula and scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 401(k) Business Financing plus starting administration [3][4] | $5,495 | $149/month | $7,283 | $10,859 | $5,495 + ($149 × 12) = $7,283; $5,495 + ($149 × 36) = $10,859 Starting public inputs only. Guidant's separately listed $2,500 SBA Loan Packaging, payroll, tax, bookkeeping, state fees, corrections, termination support and contract-specific pass-through items are outside this ROBS total unless a written agreement includes them. |
| DreamSpark using the $4,695 setup references plus $129 monthly maintenance [5][6][7][8] | $4,695 | $129/month | $6,243 | $9,339 | $4,695 + ($129 × 12) = $6,243; $4,695 + ($129 × 36) = $9,339 This is one public Pango setup scenario, not a resolved current price. It must be read beside the same FAQ page's separate $3,995 setup statement and the unavailable Pango pricing page. |
| DreamSpark using the $3,995 FAQ setup statement plus $129 monthly maintenance [6][8] | $3,995 | $129/month | $5,543 | $8,639 | $3,995 + ($129 × 12) = $5,543; $3,995 + ($129 × 36) = $8,639 This preserves Pango's internal FAQ conflict. It is not selected as the controlling price, and it is not blended with the $4,695 references. |
Service Comparison: Same Questions for Both Providers
Use this table as a diligence map. Not found publicly means the checked public sources did not answer the point; it does not mean the provider cannot do the work. If the answer would change your decision, get it in the written agreement.
| Question | Guidant public support | Pango public support | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup / implementation | “Starting at $5,495” [4] | “just $4,695” [5] “flat setup fee of only $3,995” [6] | Both publish setup pricing. Pango's live public materials conflict, so written confirmation matters before comparing price. |
| C corporation and plan formation | Not found publicly in the checked sources. | “design of your DreamSpark® plan” [6] “preparation and filing your articles of incorporation” [6] “application for Employer Tax and Retirement Plan ID numbers” [6] | Guidant describes ROBS setup, but the checked pages do not itemize C-corporation documents or plan-formation deliverables. Pango does. |
| Rollover, bank account and stock issuance | Not found publicly in the checked sources. | “bank account instructions to set up your plan and corporate bank accounts” [6] “Instructions and required forms to request your rollover” [7] “stock certificates, calculation and issuance” [6] | Guidant's checked page supports ROBS funding timing, but does not publicly itemize bank-account, rollover-form or stock-issuance deliverables. Pango gives exact public wording for bank, rollover and stock-issuance tasks. |
| Ongoing administration | “401(k) Plan Administration starting at $149 per month” [3] “Compliance Review” [3] | “manage your plan maintenance for you for $129 a month” [6] “preparing your form 5500” [8] | Both publish recurring administration support; the precise covered services still depend on written scope. |
| Employee eligibility and participant work | Not found publicly in the checked sources. | “participant statement preparations” [6] “vesting and eligibility tracking” [6] “any employee that meets the eligibility guidelines for the DreamSpark® plan must have the option to participate” [6] | Guidant's checked pages do not specify employee-plan workflows. Pango names participant statements, vesting and eligibility tracking. |
| Valuation | “we have an in-house team of expert valuation analysts” [3] | “Certified business valuation for new businesses” [5] “only available for brand new C corporations that were not capitalized prior to engagement of this service” [7] | Both publish valuation support. Pango's included valuation language is limited to brand new C corporations that were not capitalized before engagement. |
| IRS or DOL audit help | “covers qualified attorney defense fees if the IRS ever audits your plan” [3] | Not found publicly in the checked sources. | Guidant names audit-protection attorney-fee support. Pango's checked pages mention compliance, but not audit-response scope. |
| Amendments or restatements | “Plan amendments” [3] | Not found publicly in the checked sources. | Guidant names amendments. Pango's checked pages do not state amendments or restatements as included public scope. |
| SBA loan packaging or lender coordination | “SBA Loan Packaging” [3] “$ 2500 one-time setup fee.” [3] | Not found publicly in the checked sources. | Guidant separately prices SBA packaging at $2,500. That amount stays outside ROBS totals. Pango's checked DreamSpark pages do not publish lender-packaging tasks or fees. |
| Franchise buyer context | “small business or franchise financing” [4] | “franchise opportunities, existing businesses and startup opportunities” [6] “Referral fee of $1,300 paid for each completed sale” [7] | Both mention franchise context. Pango's referral-fee passage is disclosure context, not a buyer service promise. |
| Plan corrections | Not found publicly in the checked sources. | Not found publicly in the checked sources. | Neither checked provider source states VCP, DFVCP, prohibited-transaction correction, failed-testing correction, correction-fee scope or who signs correction filings. |
| Business sale, plan termination and provider transition | Not found publicly in the checked sources. | Not found publicly in the checked sources. | Neither checked source states business sale, plan termination, provider transition, employer-stock buyback, trust liquidation, final valuation or final filing scope. |
| Cancellation and refunds | Not found publicly in the checked sources. | Not found publicly in the checked sources. | Guidant setup-satisfaction wording and Pango guarantee/consultation language do not establish refund amount, cancellation right, timing, exclusions or mechanics. |
| Data ownership and exports | Not found publicly in the checked sources. | Not found publicly in the checked sources. | Neither checked source states record ownership, export format, participant data handoff, transition files, cybersecurity contract terms or termination data rights. |
| Contract exclusions and pass-through costs | Not found publicly in the checked sources. | Not found publicly in the checked sources. | Starting prices do not prove total fees. State fees, California expedited filing, custodians, investments, valuation reliance, add-ons, renewal terms and pass-throughs require written agreements. |
Who Each Provider May Fit
Fit depends on buyer priorities and the written terms each provider gives you. These scenarios are decision shortcuts, not rankings.
Plan, Employer and Fiduciary Responsibilities
A ROBS arrangement moves eligible retirement assets into a qualified retirement plan sponsored by a C corporation. The plan then buys employer stock, so retirement-plan assets become exposed to the value of one privately held business. That concentration risk remains even if setup and administration are performed correctly.
Provider support also does not remove employer or fiduciary responsibilities. The IRS ROBS page highlights operational issues involving filings, participants, rollovers, stock valuation, stock purchases, discrimination, prohibited transactions and promoter fees.[1] DOL fee guidance says fiduciaries should evaluate services, compensation, bundled or unbundled arrangements, individual service fees, cybersecurity practices and ongoing monitoring.[2] Pango's own footer states that Pango is not a lender, fiduciary, trustee, financial advisor, legal advisor or tax advisor and that retirement plan fiduciaries and trustees are responsible for customizing the plan for the employer and participants.[6]
That does not make provider help unimportant. It means the buyer should match public claims to written scope and involve an ERISA attorney, CPA, valuation professional, lender or plan administrator when the transaction facts call for that review.
Contract Questions Before Signing
Ask both providers for written answers to the same questions. If the answer is material and not written, treat it as unresolved.
- Which C-corporation, bylaws, minutes, stock ledger, share issuance, retirement-plan and trust documents are included?
- Who coordinates rollover paperwork, custody or trust movement, direction of investment and employer-stock purchase documents?
- What employee eligibility, census, enrollment, deferral, notice, testing and participant-statement work is included?
- Which filings are prepared or reviewed: Form 5500, Form 1120, Form 1099-R, Form 945, summary annual report and amendments?
- Who provides initial and annual valuation help, what standard is used, who may rely on it, and what changes for an existing business?
- What IRS or DOL audit response is included, which attorney fees are covered, and what exclusions apply?
- What correction work is included or excluded for testing failures, missed filings, prohibited transactions or plan-document problems?
- What happens at business sale, failure, plan termination, provider transition, employer-stock repurchase and final valuation?
- What cancellation, refund, data export, record ownership, cybersecurity and transition rights are written into the agreement?
- Which costs are outside the public prices: state fees, California expedited filing, registered-agent renewal, custodian/trustee, investment, legal, accounting, valuation, lending, payroll or tax charges?
Frequently Asked Questions
These answers summarize the public-source comparison and the terms that still need written confirmation.
Who is better, Guidant or Pango Financial?
Neither provider is better for every buyer. Guidant may fit buyers who value published starting prices, audit-defense fee wording, ERISA-attorney access, plan-amendment wording, in-house valuation wording and separately priced SBA packaging. Pango may fit buyers who value lower published monthly maintenance, itemized setup tasks, online access, employee-maintenance detail and new-business valuation inclusion, but its setup price must be resolved in writing.
Which Pango setup price should I use?
Use neither as a single confirmed current price until Pango confirms the contract amount. Pango's live public materials show $4,695 in several DreamSpark passages and $3,995 in one FAQ answer. The Pango pricing URL checked for this update returned HTTP 404, so it is not supporting evidence.
Can I compare the Guidant and Pango three-year totals directly?
Only as arithmetic from public inputs. Guidant uses starting prices. Pango has two unresolved setup scenarios. The totals are not equivalent-scope quotes and do not include every possible contract, pass-through, correction, valuation, legal, tax, custody, investment, exit or termination cost.
Is Guidant's $2,500 SBA packaging part of its ROBS price?
No. Guidant lists SBA Loan Packaging separately at a $2,500 one-time setup fee on the checked pricing page. This comparison keeps it outside the Guidant ROBS first-year and three-year totals.
Does provider support remove fiduciary responsibility?
No. Provider support can help with documents, administration or diligence, but IRS and DOL materials still make plan operation, provider selection, fee review, participant issues, valuation and filings responsibility-sensitive areas. Written provider scope should be reviewed with appropriate legal, tax and benefits professionals.
Sources and Update Note
- [1] IRS ROBS compliance project
Official source re-opened July 30, 2026: ROBS uses rollover assets to buy stock of a new C corporation; the IRS describes plan status, rollover/direct-transfer, participant, stock valuation, stock purchase, business, Form 5500/5500-EZ, Form 1120, promoter-fee, discrimination and prohibited-transaction issues. The page was last reviewed or updated November 16, 2025.
- [2] DOL: Understanding Retirement Plan Fees and Expenses
Official source re-opened July 30, 2026: fiduciaries should understand services, compensation, bundled and unbundled arrangements, plan administration fees, individual service fees, cybersecurity practices and ongoing monitoring; fees must be evaluated with the services provided.
- [3] Guidant pricing
Provider-controlled source re-opened July 30, 2026: 401(k) Business Financing starts at $5,495; 401(k) Plan Administration starts at $149 per month; Lifetime Audit Protection covers qualified attorney defense fees if the IRS audits the plan; the page references ERISA attorney access, ROBS/SBA/payroll/tax/bookkeeping/business valuation services, compliance review, plan amendments, business valuation, lifelong business support and SBA Loan Packaging as a separately listed $2,500 one-time setup fee.
- [4] Guidant 401(k) Business Financing
Provider-controlled source re-opened July 30, 2026: ROBS funding can be accessed in as little as three weeks; setup starts at $5,495; the page references coordinated banking, compliance assurance, lifetime audit protection, ROBS/SBA/payroll/tax/bookkeeping/business valuation services, tailored financial strategy, Guidant Guarantee setup-satisfaction wording, at least $60,000 in a rollable retirement or pension account and Roth IRA ineligibility for ROBS.
- [5] Pango 401(k) ROBS Business Financing
Provider-controlled source re-opened July 30, 2026: DreamSpark says just $4,695; incorporation setup; certified business valuation for new businesses; registered-agent services; low monthly maintenance plan; customized retirement plan; 24/7 online account management; incorporation and 12 months of registered-agent services; and services and compliance required for just $4,695.
- [6] Pango common questions
Provider-controlled source re-opened July 30, 2026: one answer states a one-time setup fee of $4,695 and $129 monthly maintenance; a later commission answer states a flat setup fee of only $3,995 and $129 monthly maintenance. The same page also describes DreamSpark setup tasks, Form 5500, compliance testing, documentation maintenance, plan reconciliation, participant statements, vesting and eligibility tracking, eligible employees, valuation, C-corporation limits, and Pango's legal/tax/fiduciary disclaimer.
- [7] Pango DreamSpark comparison
Provider-controlled source re-opened July 30, 2026: table lists Program setup fee $4,695, Monthly plan maintenance & support $129, online setup/status/forum, certified business valuation for new businesses, incorporation, C corporation state filing fees and expedited service included except California, EIN, corporate recordbook, stock certificates and stock ledger, plan document, plan TIN, bank account and rollover assistance, and stock issuance calculation form; note says referral fee of $1,300 and valuation is only for brand new C corporations not capitalized before engagement.
- [8] Pango DreamSpark Plan and Maintenance
Provider-controlled source re-opened July 30, 2026: onboarding and compliance specialists set up and manage the DreamSpark retirement rollover plan; maintenance access includes Form 5500, compliance testing, documentation maintenance, plan reconciliation, participant statements, vesting, eligibility tracking, plan-design help, and $129/month.
Source availability and update triggers
The Pango pricing page at https://pangofinancial.com/pricing/ returned HTTP 404 when checked July 30, 2026 and is not used as checked support. Update this comparison when Pango resolves the $4,695 versus $3,995 conflict, publishes a working pricing page, changes DreamSpark scope, changes the new-business valuation condition, or publishes audit, correction, cancellation, exit, data-export or fiduciary terms. Also update if Guidant changes its $5,495 setup, $149/month administration, $2,500 SBA packaging, audit-protection, plan-amendment or valuation language, or if IRS or DOL guidance changes.
Affiliate compensation has no role in this comparison.