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ROBS Provider Fees and Services: What Public Packages Actually Include

A ROBS provider proposal should be compared by total fee timing and written service scope, not by headline setup price. This guide normalizes public setup fees, ongoing administration fees, service promises, unknowns and commercial-program disclosures from sources reopened on August 13, 2026.

Written by Dennis Shirshikov, senior financial writer. Updated August 13, 2026. This educational article is not individualized legal, tax, fiduciary, valuation, investment or plan-administration advice; use written provider proposals and qualified professional review before relying on a fee or service scope.

Use this page before you request proposals

This guide compares the public price and service language each provider publishes. For broader cost categories, read ROBS costs and fees. For diligence workflow, read how to compare ROBS companies. For situation fit, use provider match.

Compare Total Fee Timing Before the Setup Price

Use written provider pricing and written service scope before choosing a ROBS company. The IRS describes ROBS as a C corporation sponsored qualified plan buying employer stock and identifies recurring concerns with Form 5500 and Form 1120 filings, valuation, promoter fees, employee access and operational failures.[1][2] DOL guidance adds the duty context: fiduciaries must act prudently, monitor providers, follow plan documents and pay only reasonable plan expenses.[3] Provider pages prove only the provider's own published price and service promises.

A ROBS fee can include entity formation, qualified plan documents, rollover coordination, employer-stock records, annual administration, filings, testing, valuation support, audit response, registered agent work, fidelity bond handling, tax work, financing help or exit guidance. It can also omit many of those items. The same headline price can mean a setup-only package, a setup package with first-year support, an attorney consultation model, a do-it-yourself administration kit or a quote-only advisory engagement. That is why the comparison below pairs each public price with the provider’s stated service scope, unresolved unknowns and reproducible fee math.

How the First-Year and Three-Year Fee Math Works

First-year amount equals setup fee plus twelve months of stated recurring administration plus any mandatory first-year extra that the provider source prices. Three-year amount equals setup fee plus thirty-six months of stated recurring administration plus priced mandatory annual extras. Monthly fees are multiplied by 12 or 36. Quarterly fees are multiplied by 4 or 12. Annual fees that begin after year one are counted in years two and three only. When an official provider page shows both a promotional first-year amount and a standard annual fee schedule, both bounded totals are shown instead of choosing one price. Quote-only fees are not replaced by averages.

The formulas omit unpriced state fees, franchise taxes, business licenses, payroll, bookkeeping, tax preparation, participant surcharges, partner add-ons, audit legal fees, independent valuation fees, business-sale appraisals, plan termination, stock redemption, SBA packaging, expedited service and ERISA fidelity bond estimates unless the source publishes a fixed amount. That is why Accelefund's base arithmetic uses $4,500 + (99 × 12) = $5,688 and $4,500 + (99 × 36) = $8,064, while separately disclosing the about-$100 annual fidelity bond estimate without adding it to the base total.[18][19]

First-year formula

Setup + 12 monthly admin payments + priced mandatory extras.

Three-year formula

Setup + 36 monthly admin payments + priced annual extras.

Quote-only rule

If setup or ongoing price is missing, arithmetic is not computed.

Five Provider Package Types You Will See

Published packages fall into five useful types. Flat setup plus monthly administration packages are computable but may leave employee, valuation or exit scope unclear. First-year-included packages lower year-one arithmetic and shift attention to renewal timing. Quote-only advisory packages may cover broader tax, compensation, valuation or M&A work, but public arithmetic waits for a written quote. Do-it-yourself administration-kit packages may remove a monthly admin line while moving plan reporting work to the owner or a separately priced professional. Attorney-led packages may include direct legal consultation for setup while leaving post-year-one employee administration and appraisal work to later pricing.

These categories are not rankings. They are a question map. Franchise buyers combining ROBS with SBA financing should isolate lender packaging from ROBS administration. A founder with employees should ask when census, notices, testing and participant account work change the price. A buyer planning a sale should ask whether annual valuation support is different from a transaction appraisal and whether stock buyback or plan termination is priced.

What Each Service Scope Term Means

Use these definitions to compare provider proposals line by line. They separate setup work, annual administration, valuation support, audit response, filing responsibility and exit help so a low headline fee does not hide a missing service.

Setup scope

C corporation formation, state filing, EINs, bylaws, resolutions, plan and trust documents, adoption agreement, rollover coordination, trust account, stock subscription, stock certificates, capitalization records and initial valuation record.

Annual administration

Census collection, employee eligibility, plan entry dates, contributions, vesting, coverage and nondiscrimination testing, participant statements, loan and distribution processing, amendments, restatements and annual reporting.

Valuation support

Initial fair-market-value support for employer stock, annual value records, event-driven appraisals, stock buyback appraisal support and documentation showing how fiduciaries determined adequate consideration.[1][2]

Audit support

Who responds to IRS or DOL inquiries, which years and agencies are covered, whether attorney time is included, whether valuation or employee errors are excluded, and whether support survives cancellation.

Filing scope

Form 5500, 5500-EZ analysis where relevant, Form 8955-SSA, 1099-R, corporate Form 1120 coordination, annual report, registered-agent renewal and state franchise tax handling.[1]

Exit scope

Plan stock redemption, business sale proceeds, independent appraisal, plan termination, rollover of proceeds, corporate dissolution, buyer financing issues and tax-adviser coordination.

ROBS Provider Fee and Service Summaries

The following summaries cover the 13 reachable providers in the project provider universe. ROBsAdvisor is handled separately because live source access did not support a current provider summary. Order follows the project provider list, not a ranking.

Provider summary

Guidant Financial [5]

Setup fee
Starting at $5,495 [5]
Ongoing fee
Starting at $149/month [5]
First-year amount
$5,495 + (149 × 12) = $7,283 using published starting amounts
Three-year amount
$5,495 + (149 × 36) = $10,859 using published starting amounts

Fee timing and mechanics

Setup fee due for implementation; ongoing administration priced monthly. SBA loan packaging listed separately at $2,500. [5]

Documented included services

ROBS setup, ongoing administration, lifetime audit protection, in-house valuation support, ROBS and SBA funding support. [5]

Exclusions or unknowns

Employee pricing mechanics beyond monthly administration, state pass-throughs, termination and exit fees not fully priced on the public page. [5]

Valuation, audit, filing and exit scope

In-house valuation support and lifetime audit protection are stated; Form 5500 and exit scope need contract confirmation. [5]

Commercial program: Partner program public. [27]

Provider summary

Benetrends Financial [6][7]

Setup fee
$4,995 Rainmaker Plan; $9,995 Rainmaker Roth Advantage [6][7]
Ongoing fee
$155/month Rainmaker; $195/month Roth Advantage [6][7]
First-year amount
$4,995 + (155 × 12) = $6,855 for Rainmaker; $9,995 + (195 × 12) = $12,335 for Roth Advantage
Three-year amount
$4,995 + (155 × 36) = $10,575 for Rainmaker; $9,995 + (195 × 36) = $17,015 for Roth Advantage

Fee timing and mechanics

One-time setup plus monthly administration; FAQ says current service and fee schedule controls exact price and services. [6][7]

Documented included services

C corporation formation, state filing fees, plan creation and customization, rollover coordination, initial stock appraisal help, Form 5500 support, compliance testing, amendments, eligibility and vesting calculations, distributions, 1099-R processing, participant loans, annual fair-market-value assistance, exit strategy consultation, dedicated retirement plan analyst, Audit Shield. [6][7]

Exclusions or unknowns

Exact client fee schedule, unwind costs, stock buyback costs, registered-agent renewal and Audit Shield terms are not fully public. [6][7]

Valuation, audit, filing and exit scope

Initial and annual valuation assistance stated; Audit Shield stated; Form 5500 support and exit strategy consultation stated. [6][7]

Commercial program: Partner registration and client referral pages public. [6][7]

Provider summary

FranFund [8]

Setup fee
$4,995 [8]
Ongoing fee
$165/month [8]
First-year amount
$4,995 + (165 × 12) = $6,975
Three-year amount
$4,995 + (165 × 36) = $10,935

Fee timing and mechanics

One-time FranPlan setup plus monthly TPA; lending fee listed separately at $2,500. [8]

Documented included services

FranPlan ROBS setup, TPA administration, franchise funding focus, lending packaging available, veteran discount through VetFran. [8]

Exclusions or unknowns

Employee pricing beyond TPA amount, valuation details, state pass-throughs, audit terms, exit or termination costs need written confirmation. [8]

Valuation, audit, filing and exit scope

Dedicated third-party administration is stated; audit, valuation and exit terms need contract scope. [8]

Commercial program: Become-a-partner page public. [28]

Provider summary

Pango Financial [9][10]

Setup fee
$4,695 DreamSpark setup; source conflict also showed $3,995 on a common-questions page [9][10]
Ongoing fee
$129/month maintenance from public FAQ ledger [9][10]
First-year amount
$4,695 + (129 × 12) = $6,243 using the higher verified setup figure; if $3,995 applies, first year is $5,543
Three-year amount
$4,695 + (129 × 36) = $9,339 using the higher verified setup figure; if $3,995 applies, three years are $8,639

Fee timing and mechanics

Setup plus monthly maintenance; price conflict must be resolved in a quote before purchase. [9][10]

Documented included services

DreamSpark ROBS setup, online compatibility check, incorporation, first-year registered agent, certified startup valuation, account-management technology. [9][10]

Exclusions or unknowns

Which setup price controls, renewal registered-agent fee, employee pricing, audit support, filing details and exit fees need contract confirmation. [9][10]

Valuation, audit, filing and exit scope

Certified startup valuation stated; annual valuation, audit, Form 5500 and exit support unclear from public pages. [9][10]

Commercial program: Referral partner program public. [9][10]

Provider summary

My Solo 401k Financial [11]

Setup fee
$3,000 [11]
Ongoing fee
$899/year after year one; $75 per additional participant over 10 [11]
First-year amount
$3,000 because first-year support is included; extra participants over 10 not included
Three-year amount
$3,000 + (899 × 2) = $4,798 before participant surcharges

Fee timing and mechanics

Flat setup includes first year; annual fee begins in year two. [11]

Documented included services

ROBS setup, first-year support, IRS determination letter, annual valuation support, Form 5500 support, published flat annual pricing. [11]

Exclusions or unknowns

Participant surcharge over 10 employees, state costs, termination and complex legal or tax work may add cost; contract should confirm. [11]

Valuation, audit, filing and exit scope

Annual valuation and Form 5500 support stated; audit and exit details need written scope. [11]

Commercial program: States it does not pay referral fees in connection with its 401k small-business financing arrangement. [29]

Provider summary

IRA Financial [12][13]

Setup fee
$3,500 [12][13]
Ongoing fee
Displayed first-year promotional administration price is $1,000 with a crossed-out $1,200 figure; official May 2026 fee schedule lists a $1,200 annual ROBS administration fee [12][13]
First-year amount
$3,500 + displayed $1,000 first-year promotional administration price = $4,500 while the promotion applies; $3,500 + official $1,200 annual fee = $4,700 under the May 2026 fee schedule
Three-year amount
$3,500 + displayed $1,000 first-year promotional administration price + (1,200 × 2) = $6,900 while the promotion applies in year one; $3,500 + (1,200 × 3) = $7,100 under the May 2026 fee schedule

Fee timing and mechanics

Setup fee plus annual administration; public page showed a first-year promotional administration amount, and the official May 2026 fee schedule supplies the standard annual amount used for bounded multi-year arithmetic. [12][13]

Documented included services

Flat-fee ROBS setup, retirement-account specialization, stated IRS audit protection, ongoing maintenance statement. [12][13]

Exclusions or unknowns

Activity fees, termination fee, cash balance requirement, employee mechanics, valuation detail, promotion end date and exit scope require contract review. [12][13]

Valuation, audit, filing and exit scope

IRS audit protection stated; Form 5500, valuation, activity-fee and exit scope need exact agreement confirmation. [12][13]

Commercial program: Refer-a-friend account credits public. [31]

Provider summary

Tenet Financial Group [14][15]

Setup fee
Quote-only; no Tenet-specific public fee schedule found [14][15]
Ongoing fee
Quote-only; no Tenet-specific public administration fee found [14][15]
First-year amount
Not computed because Tenet-specific setup and administration fees are not published
Three-year amount
Not computed because Tenet-specific setup and administration fees are not published

Fee timing and mechanics

Free consultation; public page does not publish Tenet-specific fee schedule. [14][15]

Documented included services

Plan design, installation, administration, C corporation and 401(k) setup assistance, Form 5500 filing, employee eligibility tracking, contribution support, assigned plan administrator access and exit strategy walkthrough. [14][15]

Exclusions or unknowns

Tenet-specific setup fee, monthly admin fee, state fee treatment, valuation cost, audit terms, unwind fees and SBA support pricing are not public. [14][15]

Valuation, audit, filing and exit scope

Form 5500 and exit walkthrough stated; valuation and audit terms unclear. [14][15]

Commercial program: Partner program public; source added to ledger. [14][15]

Provider summary

Business Funding Trust [16][17]

Setup fee
No dollar amount published; no upfront money claimed [16][17]
Ongoing fee
$0 monthly admin claimed; professional administrator available for an affordable fee that is not stated [16][17]
First-year amount
Not computed because setup dollar amount and optional administrator fee are not published
Three-year amount
Not computed because setup dollar amount and optional administrator fee are not published

Fee timing and mechanics

Payment after five setup steps completed; monthly do-it-yourself administration kit positioned as no monthly admin fee. [16][17]

Documented included services

401(k) profit-sharing plan, trust and bank EINs, rollover help, trust-account setup help, annual administration kit, free ongoing support, corporation name reservation, bylaws, articles, resolutions, corporate EIN, kit, bank account process. [16][17]

Exclusions or unknowns

Actual setup amount, professional administrator amount, valuation cost, Form 5500 responsibility details, audit support, termination and exit costs are not public. [16][17]

Valuation, audit, filing and exit scope

Annual kit stated; valuation, audit, filing and exit scope unclear. [16][17]

Commercial program: No public program found. [16][17]

Provider summary

Accelefund [18][19]

Setup fee
$4,500 plus state incorporation fee; $1,000 deposit and $3,500 after funding; $1,000 add-on for partner/spouse/family member funds [18][19]
Ongoing fee
$99/month plus about $100/year ERISA fidelity bond [18][19]
First-year amount
$4,500 + (99 × 12) = $5,688; the about-$100 ERISA fidelity bond is disclosed but excluded as an estimate, not a fixed provider fee
Three-year amount
$4,500 + (99 × 36) = $8,064; bond estimates, state fees and partner add-ons excluded

Fee timing and mechanics

Deposit becomes equity contribution; balance after rollover and funding; monthly bank draft to corporation. The about-$100 annual ERISA fidelity bond is facilitated but excluded from base arithmetic because it is an estimate. [18][19]

Documented included services

Corporation formation, charter, articles, resolutions, plan and trust documents, stock subscription agreements, initial cash-value appraisal, transfer facilitation from up to three accounts, unlimited consultation, recordkeeping, annual testing, Form 5500 and Form 8955-SSA preparation and filing, summary annual report, benefit statements, census review, enrollment support, amendments, restatements, IRS and DOL audit assistance. [18][19]

Exclusions or unknowns

State fees, partner add-on, post-initial valuation costs, termination and independent appraisal cost at buyback are not fully priced. [18][19]

Valuation, audit, filing and exit scope

Initial appraisal, filing, audit assistance and exit buyback concept stated; annual valuation pricing unclear. [18][19]

Commercial program: No public referral program found. [18][19]

Provider summary

ROBSPRO [20][21]

Setup fee
$4,000 turnkey package [20][21]
Ongoing fee
$50/month minimum billed quarterly for first year; later employee-related administration fee TBD [20][21]
First-year amount
$4,000 + (50 × 12) = $4,600
Three-year amount
$4,000 + (50 × 36) = $5,800 only if minimum remains applicable; multi-employee post-year-one fee not included

Fee timing and mechanics

50 percent upfront and balance on delivery; quarterly ongoing billing. [20][21]

Documented included services

Attorney-led consultation, corporation formation documents, plan design consultation, capital structure and valuation requirement consultation, retirement plan documents, required operating and disclosure forms, rollover consultation, custodial-account setup consultation, first-year consultation on plan operations and IRS/DOL inquiries, administration package and Form 5500 series preparation for first plan accounting year. [20][21]

Exclusions or unknowns

Post-year-one admin, multi-employee recordkeeping, independent appraisal responsibility, registered-agent fees, state filing fees, exit and unwind costs are not public. [20][21]

Valuation, audit, filing and exit scope

Valuation requirements consultation and first-year IRS/DOL inquiry consultation stated; actual valuation, audit protection and exit scope unclear. [20][21]

Commercial program: No public program found. [20][21]

Provider summary

Aprio [22]

Setup fee
Quote-only [22]
Ongoing fee
Quote-only [22]
First-year amount
Not computed because ROBS setup and administration prices are not published
Three-year amount
Not computed because ROBS setup and administration prices are not published

Fee timing and mechanics

Contact form controls; a separate wealth-management ADV fee schedule is not ROBS pricing and is not used for arithmetic. [22]

Documented included services

C corporation formation and registration, ROBS plan setup and compliance documentation, rollover coordination, stock execution, ongoing annual administration and compliance monitoring, founder tax consultation, compensation strategy, equity planning, financial-model advisory, business valuation support, M&A and exit support. [22]

Exclusions or unknowns

Exact ROBS price, whether valuation is in-house or third party, Form 5500 detail, ERISA bond, employee pricing and plan dissolution costs are not public. [22]

Valuation, audit, filing and exit scope

Valuation, annual administration and M&A/exit support stated; filing details and audit support unclear. [22]

Commercial program: General Aprio Channel Partners referral revenue-share program public; no public ROBS-specific compensation terms found. [30]

Provider summary

Directed Equity directINVEST [23][24]

Setup fee
Quote-only [23][24]
Ongoing fee
Quote-only [23][24]
First-year amount
Not computed because setup and ongoing prices are not published
Three-year amount
Not computed because setup and ongoing prices are not published

Fee timing and mechanics

Consultation required; financing page says the process cost is answered in consultation. [23][24]

Documented included services

Establish C corporation, set up self-directed 401(k), roll over existing retirement funds, invest through stock purchase, ongoing support, attorneys, CPAs and financing experts, SBA, conventional and equipment-financing experience. [23][24]

Exclusions or unknowns

Exact fees, Form 5500 filing, valuation scope, fidelity bond, employee pricing, exit, audit and termination costs are not public. [23][24]

Valuation, audit, filing and exit scope

Ongoing support stated; valuation, filing, audit and exit scope unclear. [23][24]

Commercial program: Referral Partner Program public; compensation terms not disclosed. [23][24]

Provider summary

Nexus 401(k) by Talcott Forge [25][26]

Setup fee
$5,000 [25][26]
Ongoing fee
$500/quarter [25][26]
First-year amount
$5,000 + (500 × 4) = $7,000
Three-year amount
$5,000 + (500 × 12) = $11,000

Fee timing and mechanics

One-time setup plus quarterly ongoing fee. State annual report, franchise tax and business license are facilitated but billed at cost. [25][26]

Documented included services

C corporation formation, state filing fee, first-year registered agent, C corporation EIN, plan and trust, trust EIN, direct rollover coordination, stock issuance, first-year ERISA fidelity bond, Form 5500 filing, nondiscrimination testing, bond renewal, cap table and valuation recordkeeping, registered-agent renewal and filing service fees. [25][26]

Exclusions or unknowns

Legal, tax and investment advice, tax preparation, bookkeeping, payroll, bank fees, one-off legal or accounting projects, state annual report, franchise tax, business license, third-party recordkeeping and investment management are not included. [25][26]

Valuation, audit, filing and exit scope

Form 5500, testing, ERISA bond, valuation recordkeeping and exit mechanics stated; legal/tax advice excluded. [25][26]

Commercial program: No public referral program found. [25][26]

Unavailable notice: ROBsAdvisor

ROBsAdvisor is not included as a reachable provider summary because the live site at https://www.robsadvisor.com/ timed out or returned HTTP 406 during verification. Search-index snippets are not reliable support for current provider fees or services. Treat ROBsAdvisor as unavailable for this comparison until a live provider page or written quote verifies current fees, services and status.

Three Buyer Examples for Comparing Proposals

The same provider price can behave differently by buyer situation. These examples show how fee cadence and scope questions change for a solo startup, a franchise buyer using SBA financing and an acquisition buyer planning for employees and a future exit.

Scenario 1: Startup founder, no employees yet

Inputs: $90,000 eligible former-employer 401(k), new operating company, no expected employees for the first year, no SBA loan. Use setup plus twelve months of administration. Ask whether Form 5500 analysis, first-year registered agent, first-year bond and initial valuation are included. A first-year-included package can show lower year-one arithmetic, but the buyer still needs renewal, employee-entry and exit terms.

Scenario 2: Franchise buyer using ROBS plus SBA

Inputs: $180,000 rollover, franchise acquisition, SBA loan packaging and expected staff of eight in year one. Compute base ROBS fees first, then add any priced lender packaging. Guidant and FranFund publicly price loan packaging separately; other providers may quote it separately, include financing coordination without a public fee, or not offer it.[5][8] Ask whether employee census, eligibility, testing, notices, valuation and audit support remain included under lender deadlines.

Scenario 3: Existing business purchase with future exit

Inputs: $300,000 rollover, C corporation acquisition vehicle, seller financing, employees on day one and a planned sale in five to seven years. Quote-only can be usable if the proposal prices valuation, employee administration, annual filings, stock buyback or sale mechanics and plan termination. Providers that mention M&A, exit support or stock buybacks still need written fees for independent appraisal, corporate tax work, plan asset handling and rollover of proceeds.

Common Fee Comparison Mistakes to Avoid

Do not convert a quote-only cell into a guess; absence of public price is not evidence that a provider is expensive or cheap. Separate setup from annual administration, and separate ROBS fees from SBA or other business-financing fees. Compare employee mechanics early because a one-owner plan can become an employee benefit plan with eligible employees.[1][3] Compare valuation scope before exit, audit-support terms by contract rather than headline, provider marketing only as evidence of provider promises, and government sources for the duty context.

Questions to Ask Every Provider Before You Sign

Ask every provider for the same written answers: exact setup fee; deposit and balance timing; exact ongoing fee; renewal date; participant surcharge; partner or spouse surcharge; state filing treatment; registered-agent renewal; ERISA fidelity bond; initial valuation; annual valuation; event valuation; Form 5500 and Form 8955-SSA role; 1099-R role; Form 1120 coordination; employee census workflow; testing; notices; payroll or bookkeeping exclusions; audit-support agencies; attorney scope; lender-packaging price; cancellation; plan termination; stock redemption; business sale; referral compensation; and a sample annual calendar.

Then reproduce the arithmetic beside each quote. If setup or ongoing is quote-only, mark it quote-only. If a provider posts a temporary promotion, show both the promotional math and the standard schedule math when the standard schedule is public. If a provider says $4,500 setup and $99 per month, the base first year is $4,500 + (99 × 12) = $5,688. If a provider says $3,000 setup with first-year support included and $899 beginning year two, the first-year base is $3,000 and the three-year base is $3,000 + (899 × 2) = $4,798.[11][18]

Frequently Asked Questions

These answers clarify how to use published provider fees without treating them as complete quotes or individualized advice.

Are published ROBS provider fees enough to choose a company?

No. Published fees are only the first screen. You still need a written scope for setup, annual plan administration, employee participation, valuation, audit response, filings, state costs, termination and exit. Use the no-monthly administration fee guide for fee-cadence evidence.[1][2][3]

Why are some first-year and three-year amounts not computed?

The article computes only when both setup and ongoing fees are publicly stated. Quote-only providers keep quote-only labels because filling a blank with an industry average would make the comparison look more certain than the source.[5][6][8][10][11][12][13][18][20][25]

Does a provider's audit protection remove fiduciary responsibility?

No. DOL fiduciary guidance says plan fiduciaries must act prudently, follow plan documents, monitor service providers and pay only reasonable expenses. A provider can sell audit support, but it cannot make the sponsor irrelevant.[3]

Should state filing fees be included in the arithmetic?

Include them when the provider states an amount or says the fee is included. If the provider says state fees are pass-through or the amount varies by state, list the item as omitted from the arithmetic and request the actual state quote.[5][8][18][25]

How should employee pricing be compared?

Ask when employees become eligible, what census data is required, whether the fee changes by participant count, whether payroll integration is included, and who handles notices, testing, contributions, loans and distributions.[1][2][3]

What valuation questions should buyers ask?

Ask who performs the initial valuation, whether annual fair-market-value support is included, what records are required, what events trigger a new valuation, and who pays for an independent appraisal at buyback, sale or exit.[1][2][3]

What is the safest way to use this provider catalog?

Use it as a normalization tool, not a ranking. Contact the companies that fit your facts, request identical written proposals, and compare only what each company puts in writing.[5][6][8][9][11][12][14][16][18][20][22][23][25]

When should this page be updated?

Update after any provider changes pricing, fee timing, audit support, valuation scope, filing scope, employee pricing, referral program, availability, ownership or contract terms, and after material IRS or DOL guidance changes.[1][2][3]

Sources, Limits and When to Recheck Pricing

The sources below support this article. Government sources support legal and fiduciary-duty context. Provider sources support only that provider's public price, package, availability or commercial-program statement. No source below proves provider quality or superiority.

  1. [1] IRS ROBS compliance project

    IRS source for ROBS structure, compliance project findings, Form 5500/Form 1120 issues, valuation, promoter fees and employee-access concerns.

  2. [2] IRS ROBS guidelines memo

    IRS Employee Plans memo on ROBS mechanics, nondiscrimination, prohibited transaction and valuation concerns.

  3. [3] DOL fiduciary responsibilities

    DOL EBSA publication on fiduciary duties, reasonable plan expenses, bonding, service-provider monitoring and reporting.

  4. [4] IRS prohibited transactions

    IRS source for prohibited-transaction context.

  5. [5] Guidant Financial pricing

    Provider pricing and package source checked August 13, 2026.

  6. [6] Benetrends ROBS/RAPS cost article

    Provider pricing article checked August 13, 2026.

  7. [7] Benetrends FAQ

    Provider FAQ source for Audit Shield, current fee-schedule caveat and exit topics checked August 13, 2026.

  8. [8] FranFund pricing

    Provider pricing and package source checked August 13, 2026.

  9. [9] Pango ROBS financing page

    Provider DreamSpark setup and service source checked August 13, 2026.

  10. [10] Pango common questions

    Provider FAQ source for maintenance-price evidence and conflicting setup evidence checked August 13, 2026.

  11. [11] My Solo 401k ROBS pricing

    Provider pricing and service source checked August 13, 2026.

  12. [12] IRA Financial ROBS

    Provider ROBS pricing and service source checked August 13, 2026.

  13. [13] IRA Financial May 2026 fee schedule

    Provider fee schedule checked August 13, 2026.

  14. [14] Tenet ROBS funding

    Provider ROBS service source checked August 13, 2026.

  15. [15] Tenet partners

    Provider partner source checked August 13, 2026.

  16. [16] Business Funding Trust fees

    Provider fee-positioning source checked August 13, 2026.

  17. [17] Business Funding Trust services

    Provider service-scope source checked August 13, 2026.

  18. [18] Accelefund pricing

    Provider pricing and package source checked August 13, 2026.

  19. [19] Accelefund FAQ

    Provider FAQ source checked August 13, 2026.

  20. [20] ROBSPRO fees

    Provider pricing source checked August 13, 2026.

  21. [21] ROBSPRO turnkey package

    Provider package-scope source checked August 13, 2026.

  22. [22] Aprio ROBS services

    Provider service source checked August 13, 2026.

  23. [23] Directed Equity directINVEST

    Provider directINVEST service source checked August 13, 2026.

  24. [24] Directed Equity referral partner contact

    Provider referral source checked August 13, 2026.

  25. [25] Nexus 401(k) pricing

    Provider pricing source checked August 13, 2026.

  26. [26] Nexus 401(k) FAQ

    Provider FAQ service/exclusion source checked August 13, 2026.

  27. [27] Guidant Financial partner overview

    Official provider partner-program source checked August 13, 2026.

  28. [28] FranFund become partner

    Official provider partner-program source checked August 13, 2026; URL resolved to FranFund partners page.

  29. [29] My Solo 401k referral fees

    Official provider no-referral-fee source checked August 13, 2026.

  30. [30] Aprio channel partners

    Official provider channel-partner source checked August 13, 2026; supports general referral revenue-share program, not ROBS-specific compensation terms.

  31. [31] IRA Financial refer-a-friend

    Official provider refer-a-friend credit source checked August 13, 2026; supports account-credit referral language, not ROBS-specific compensation terms.

This article does not identify a best provider, safest provider, most compliant provider, average industry price, guaranteed IRS result, guaranteed valuation sufficiency, universal employee treatment or complete exit cost. Public pages were rechecked on August 13, 2026; inaccessible contract terms, unpublished quotes, image-only fee tables, sales-call statements and search snippets were not treated as verified facts. Recheck this page when a provider changes pricing, removes a pricing page, changes audit support, changes valuation scope, changes employee pricing, changes referral-program disclosure, changes operating status, adds or removes filing services, changes ownership, changes package names, or when IRS or DOL guidance changes the duty context.

Professional review boundary

A provider proposal is not a substitute for advice from the professionals responsible for your transaction. Ask an ERISA attorney, CPA, fiduciary adviser, valuation professional and plan administrator to review the duty, filing, valuation, provider-compensation and plan-expense implications before relying on a provider's price, included services, exclusions, refund terms, audit support, valuation support, employee support, financing coordination or commercial relationship.

Compare provider fit after normalizing the package

Use these provider summaries with the broader costs guide and diligence process before requesting proposals.

Cost categories Diligence workflow