Campaign(k) analyzes your 401(k) census to segment participants into behavioral personas, surface missed-match opportunities, and generate targeted communication campaigns — all in seconds.
How It Works
1
Upload Census
Upload a CSV from your recordkeeper or import directly from Census(k). Data never leaves your browser.
2
Configure Match Rules
Define the employer match formula — Safe Harbor, Enhanced, QNEC, or custom tiers — to calculate missed match.
3
Generate Analysis
Instantly segment participants, quantify missed match dollars, rank prospects, and create persona-specific campaigns.
2026 IRS Limits & Thresholds
$24,500
§402(g) Deferral Limit
$8,000
Catch-Up (Age 50+)
$360,000
§401(a)(17) Comp Cap
$160,000
HCE Threshold
5-Persona Segmentation Model
🌱
Young Accumulators
Under 35
Early-career participants building habits. Often under-saving and missing employer match.
▸ Match awareness + auto-escalation
🏡
Mid-Career Savers
Ages 35–49
Balancing competing priorities — mortgage, college, retirement. Need optimization strategies.
▸ 1% increase campaigns + check-ins
💎
HENRYs
High comp + under-saving
High Earners, Not Rich Yet — earning above HCE threshold but not converting income to wealth. Future HNW clients.
▸ Advisor intro + Roth optimization + wealth plan
⛰️
Wealth Builders
Top comp + high deferral
High-achieving savers near IRS limits. Prime prospects for financial planning conversations.
▸ Advisor pipeline + tax optimization
🌅
Pre-Retirees
Age 50+
Approaching retirement. Eligible for catch-up contributions. Focused on income planning.
High earners not yet converting income to wealth. Saving below their capacity despite strong compensation. Prime candidates for comprehensive financial planning, Roth optimization, and advisory relationships that convert them into Wealth Builders.
✓ Income above HCE threshold✓ Under-contributing vs. capacity→ Advisory onboarding
Senior executives and long-tenured high earners with significant accumulation. Need estate planning, tax-loss harvesting, concentrated stock strategies, and multigenerational wealth transfer.
Campaign(k) surfaces the participants most likely to benefit from enhanced advisory relationships — turning plan engagement into a natural business development pipeline.
Quantify exactly how much each participant is leaving on the table, ranked by dollar impact.
⭐
HENRY & HNW Pipeline
Automatically flag high earners for advisor engagement and HNW referral based on comp, balance, and age.
📬
Persona-Specific Campaigns
Ready-to-send email templates with personalized subject lines, copy, and calls to action by segment.
📅
12-Month Campaign Calendar
Complete communication cadence — webinars, emails, flyers, and 1-on-1 outreach organized by quarter.
📋 Processing Details
Awaiting file upload...
⚙️ Plan Rules Configuration
Define the employer match formula. This is crucial for accurately calculating "Missed Match" opportunities.
📊 Current Configuration
No configuration saved yet. Use the sidebar to set your plan rules.
🚀 Ready to Analyze
Your census data and plan rules are configured. Launch a comprehensive analysis to unlock actionable insights.
📊
Smart Segmentation
Categorize participants into four behavioral personas.
💰
Match Optimization
Calculate precise "Missed Match" opportunities.
🎯
Prospect Pipeline
Identify top prospects for planning conversations.
📋
Campaign Ready
Persona-specific templates and 12-month calendar.
📖Help CenterCampaign(k) v3.0
Welcome to Campaign(k)
Transform raw 401(k) census data into a segmented participant engagement strategy — with targeted communications, missed-match recovery, catch-up analysis, and an advisor opportunity pipeline.
📋
Upload Census
→
⚙️
Set Plan Rules
→
🧠
AI Segmentation
→
📊
Review Report
→
📧
Deploy Campaigns
🎯 Key Capabilities
👥
5-Persona Segmentation
Automatically classifies participants into Young Accumulators, Mid-Career Savers, HENRYs, Wealth Builders, and Pre-Retirees based on age, comp, deferral, and balance data.
💰
Missed Match Recovery
Identifies every participant leaving employer match dollars on the table and calculates the exact deferral increase needed to capture the full match.
💎
HENRY & HNW Pipeline
Flags High Earners Not Rich Yet and HNW advisor referral candidates. Maps the HENRY → Wealth Builder → HNW conversion funnel.
🎯
Catch-Up Analysis
Tracks catch-up contribution utilization for participants age 50+, identifies turning-50 participants, and flags the SECURE 2.0 super catch-up window (ages 60-63).
📧
Communication Templates
Pre-built, compliance-aware email templates for each persona — written at the level of a senior RIA with deep retirement plan expertise.
📅
12-Month Campaign Calendar
A year-long engagement plan mapping specific campaigns to each persona segment by month — webinars, emails, 1-on-1s, and guides.
🚀 Getting Started in 4 Steps
1
Upload Your Census File
Click Choose File on the left sidebar and select a CSV containing participant data. Required fields: Name, Date of Birth, Date of Hire, Compensation, and either Deferral Percentage or Deferral Amount. Optionally include Ending Balance for richer segmentation.
Tip: You can also use a Sample Scenario to explore the tool without uploading data.
2
Configure Plan Rules
Set the employer match formula (e.g., 100% of first 3%, 50% of next 2%), choose the analysis year (2025 or 2026), and select whether the plan uses a Safe Harbor or QNEC design. The match formula determines how Campaign(k) calculates missed match amounts.
Tip: For Safe Harbor Basic, select the pre-configured formula — no manual tiers needed.
3
Process & Generate the Report
Click Process File to validate census data, then Run Campaign(k) Analysis to generate the full segmentation report. The engine classifies every participant, calculates missed match, identifies HENRYs and HNW candidates, and scores catch-up utilization — all in seconds.
Tip: The processing card shows exactly how many rows were accepted and any rejections with reasons.
4
Review, Export, and Act
Explore the report: Executive Summary, Segmentation Charts, Missed Match Analysis, Advisor Pipeline, Catch-Up Analysis, Communications Center with persona-specific email templates, and a 12-Month Campaign Calendar. Export the full dataset as CSV or print the report as PDF.
Tip: Click any persona accordion in the Communications Center to see templates and participant lists.
💡 Pro Tips
🔒 Privacy First
All processing happens in your browser. No participant data is sent to any server.
📥 Census(k) Import
Use Census(k)'s "Export to App" feature to transfer data directly — no CSV needed.
🤖 LLM Selector
Switch between Claude, GPT-5.2, and Gemini in the sidebar for AI-powered analysis features.
📊 Balance Data Optional
Segmentation adapts automatically. With balance data you get richer Wealth Builder and HENRY classification.
⚖️ SECURE 2.0 Act — What Advisors Need to Know
The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 introduced sweeping changes to retirement plan rules. Campaign(k) integrates the provisions that matter most for participant engagement and advisor opportunity.
📋 Key Provisions Integrated in Campaign(k)
🎯 Super Catch-Up (Ages 60–63)
Starting in 2025, participants turning age 60, 61, 62, or 63 during the plan year can contribute the greater of $10,000 or 150% of the standard catch-up limit. This four-year window expires at age 64.
2026: $11,250 super catch-up
⚠️ Mandatory Roth Catch-Up
Effective January 1, 2026: participants age 50+ whose prior-year FICA wages (W-2 Box 3) exceeded the threshold must make all catch-up contributions on a Roth (after-tax) basis. If the plan does not offer Roth, those participants cannot make catch-ups at all.
2026 threshold: $150,000
💎 HENRY Identification
Campaign(k) automatically flags High Earners Not Rich Yet — participants with compensation above the HCE threshold ($160K) but deferral rates below 10% and balance-to-comp ratios under 1.0×. These are prime advisor engagement targets.
HCE: $160,000 (2025/2026)
🔄 Catch-Up Utilization Tracking
For every participant age 50+, Campaign(k) calculates the catch-up limit, actual catch-up amount, remaining capacity, and utilization rate. Participants turning 50 during the plan year are flagged as newly eligible.
Emergency savings accounts (Pension-Linked). Long-term part-time eligibility reduced to 2 years. 529-to-Roth rollovers permitted (with conditions).
2025
Super catch-up contributions begin for ages 60–63 ($11,250). Auto-enrollment mandate for new 401(k)/403(b) plans. Expanded Roth SEP/SIMPLE options. Catch-up indexed for inflation ($7,500).
2026
Roth catch-up mandate effective Jan 1: high earners (prior-year wages >$150K) must make catch-ups as Roth. Plans without Roth feature block those participants from catch-ups entirely. Plan amendment deadline: Dec 31, 2026. Standard catch-up rises to $8,000. Deferral limit: $24,500.
2027
Final regulations formally apply. IRS enforcement of super catch-up and Roth catch-up provisions. Governmental plan amendment deadline extended to 2029.
💡 Advisor Opportunity: The Roth catch-up mandate creates an immediate reason to engage every high-earning participant age 50+. Campaign(k) identifies these participants automatically and generates Roth-strategy communication templates. The super catch-up window (60–63) is a natural conversation starter for pre-retirees about to enter their peak accumulation years.
📚 Glossary of Retirement Plan Terms
🔍
📊 IRS Contribution Limits (2024–2026)
Limit
2024
2025
2026
Elective Deferral §402(g)
$23,000
$23,500
$24,500
Catch-Up (Age 50–59, 64+)
$7,500
$7,500
$8,000
Super Catch-Up (Age 60–63)
N/A
$11,250
$11,250
Max Deferral (Age 50+)
$30,500
$31,000
$32,500
Max Deferral (Age 60–63)
N/A
$34,750
$35,750
Annual Additions §415(c)
$69,000
$70,000
$72,000
Compensation Cap §401(a)(17)
$345,000
$350,000
$360,000
HCE Threshold
$155,000
$160,000
$160,000
Key Employee (Officer)
$220,000
$230,000
$235,000
DB Benefit Limit §415(b)
$275,000
$280,000
$290,000
Roth Catch-Up Wage Threshold
N/A
$145,000
$150,000
Social Security Wage Base
$168,600
$176,100
$184,500
2026 column reflects current-year limits used by Campaign(k) when analysis year is set to 2026.
📋 Safe Harbor Match Formulas
Formula
Match Rate
Max Employer Cost
Vesting
Basic Safe Harbor
100% first 3% + 50% next 2%
4% of comp
Immediate
Enhanced Safe Harbor
100% first 4%+
4%+ of comp
Immediate
QACA Match
100% first 1% + 50% next 5%
3.5% of comp
2-yr cliff
Non-Elective (QNEC)
3% of comp (all eligible)
3% of comp
Immediate
⏰ Critical Deadlines (Calendar Year Plans)
Deadline
Due Date
Notes
Safe Harbor Notice
Oct 1 – Dec 1
30–90 days before plan year
ADP/ACP Refunds (avoid excise)
Mar 15
2½ months after plan year end
Excess Deferral Correction
Apr 15
402(g) excess; Code P if timely
Form 5500
Jul 31
7 months; extension to Oct 15
Summary Annual Report
Sep 30
9 months after plan year end
ADP/ACP Final Refund Deadline
Dec 31
12 months; plan qualification at risk
SECURE 2.0 Plan Amendment
Dec 31, 2026
Super catch-up & Roth mandate
📋 Required Columns
Field
Accepted Variants
Type
Example
First_Name
First Name, FirstName, FName
Text
Jane
Last_Name
Last Name, LastName, LName
Text
Doe
Date_of_Birth
DOB, Birth Date, BirthDate
Date
1984-05-17
Date_of_Hire
Hire Date, DOH, HireDate
Date
2018-09-10
Plan_Year_Compensation
Comp, Compensation, Annual Compensation, Salary
Numeric
85000
📊 Deferral Information (At Least One Required)
Field
Accepted Variants
Type
Notes
Employee_Deferrals_Amount
Deferrals, EE Deferrals, Deferral Amount
Numeric ($)
Annual dollar amount
Employee_Deferral_Percentage
Deferral Rate, Deferral %, Deferral Pct
Numeric (%)
0.06 or 6 (auto-detected)
➕ Optional Columns
Field
Accepted Variants
Impact
Ending_Balance
Balance, Account Balance, Total Balance
Enables Wealth Builder and HENRY segmentation accuracy, improves pipeline ranking
💡 Column auto-detection: Campaign(k) recognizes 100+ common column name variations. If a column isn't detected, it will appear in the processing details with guidance on manual mapping. Dates support MM/DD/YYYY, YYYY-MM-DD, and M/D/YY formats.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. All data processing happens entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. No participant data is transmitted to any external server. Your census file, calculated results, and generated reports never leave your device. When you close the browser tab, the data is gone.
Campaign(k) accepts CSV files (UTF-8 encoded). If your data is in Excel format (.xlsx), save it as CSV first (File → Save As → CSV). You can also import data directly from Census(k) using its "Export to App" feature — no file download needed.
Rows with future dates of birth, negative compensation, invalid ages (under 16 or over 100), or missing required fields are automatically excluded. The Processing Details panel shows the exact count of accepted vs. rejected rows and lists specific rejection reasons so you can fix your source data if needed.
The engine applies a hierarchical classification: (1) Pre-Retirees are age 50+. (2) Among participants under 50 with compensation above the HCE threshold or top 25%, those with low savings (deferral <10% and balance-to-comp <1.0×) become HENRYs; those with high savings become Wealth Builders. (3) Mid-Career Savers are ages 35–49 without high comp. (4) Young Accumulators are under 35. Each persona receives tailored communication templates and strategies.
HENRY stands for "High Earner, Not Rich Yet" — a term coined in Fortune Magazine in 2003. These are participants earning well above the HCE threshold ($160K) but not converting that income into proportional wealth. Campaign(k) identifies them because they represent the highest-value engagement opportunity: a HENRY who increases savings becomes a Wealth Builder, and a Wealth Builder becomes an HNW advisory referral.
SECURE 2.0 introduced an enhanced catch-up limit for participants who turn age 60, 61, 62, or 63 during the plan year. The limit is the greater of $10,000 or 150% of the standard catch-up ($11,250 for 2025–2026). This four-year window closes at age 64. Campaign(k) automatically identifies eligible participants and calculates their utilization of this enhanced limit.
Starting January 1, 2026, participants age 50+ whose prior-year FICA wages exceeded $150,000 must make all catch-up contributions on a Roth (after-tax) basis. If the plan doesn't offer designated Roth contributions, those high-earning participants are blocked from making any catch-up contributions. Campaign(k) flags these participants in the Catch-Up Analysis and generates targeted Roth-strategy communications.
Yes. Census(k) has an "Export to App" feature. Click it, select Campaign(k) as the target, and the data transfers automatically via the (k) Suite integration layer. Both apps must be open on the same domain (waivz.ai). The mapped census data arrives pre-formatted for Campaign(k)'s engine.
The templates are designed as educational starting points written in the voice of a senior RIA. They reference specific IRS code sections, current limits, and SECURE 2.0 provisions. However, they are sample content meant to guide advisors — not client-ready communications. Always review and customize templates through your firm's compliance process before sending to participants.
The pipeline ranks HENRYs, Wealth Builders, and Pre-Retirees by balance (or compensation if balance isn't available). It maps the conversion funnel: HENRY → Wealth Builder → HNW Referral. Use it to prioritize outreach — start with the highest-value participants who have the largest gap between income and savings, then work down the list.
Yes. Use the Print button in the report header for a print-optimized PDF. Use Export Data to download the full participant dataset as CSV, which includes all calculated fields — persona classification, HENRY flag, HNW flag, catch-up metrics, missed match amounts, and pipeline indicators.
🆕 Release History
v3.1February 2026
✓HENRY Segmentation Engine — 5th persona (High Earner Not Rich Yet) with full pipeline integration, communication templates, and HNW conversion tracking
✓Catch-Up Contribution Analysis — Full SECURE 2.0 catch-up tracking: utilization rates, super catch-up (60–63), turning-50 identification, and Roth mandate flagging
✓RIA-Quality Email Templates — 13 comprehensive templates across 5 personas, referencing specific IRS code sections, SECURE 2.0 provisions, and compounding illustrations
✓Enhanced Help Center — Comprehensive rebuild with SECURE 2.0 tab, alphabetical glossary with 60+ terms, expanded FAQ, and IRS limits reference
✓Plan Health Chart Colors — Per-persona color coding in bar charts (was rendering black from CSS variable issue)
v3.0February 2026
✓Complete UI Rewrite — New (k) Suite standard design with dark sidebar and light content area
✓LLM Selector — Choose between Claude, GPT-5.2, and Gemini for AI-powered analysis
✓2025/2026 Year Support — Toggle analysis years with updated IRS limits for each
✓Adaptive Segmentation — Works with or without account balance data
🔒
Security & Trust Center
Enterprise-grade protection for your retirement plan data
✓
All Systems Secure
Your data is protected with enterprise-grade security and never used for AI training.
🔌 API-First Architecture — Not a Chatbot
This application connects to enterprise AI APIs, not consumer chatbots like ChatGPT.com or Claude.ai. Your data is never used for training, never stored in shared conversation logs, and never reviewed by humans.
How Your Data is Protected
📄
Your Data
→
🔐
TLS 1.3
→
☁️
Cloudflare
→
🤖
AI Analysis
→
🗑️
Auto-Delete
Core Security Features
🚫
Zero Training Guarantee
No AI provider uses your inputs or outputs to train models. Contractually guaranteed.
🔐
End-to-End Encryption
AES-256 at rest, TLS 1.3 in transit. Encrypted at every stage.
⏱️
Minimal Retention
AI providers retain data 7-30 days max, then permanently delete.
👁️🗨️
No Human Review
Unlike consumer chatbots, your conversations are never reviewed by humans.
Compliance Certifications
🏆
SOC 2Type II Certified
🌐
ISO 27001Information Security
🏛️
FINRASEC 17a-4
🏥
HIPAABAA Available
🇪🇺
GDPRCompliant
🇺🇸
CCPACompliant
💡 Tip: See the Compliance tab for detailed regulatory alignment information.
We use enterprise API tiers from the leading AI providers. Your data is never used for training and has strict retention limits.
Consumer Chatbot vs. Enterprise API
Security Aspect
Consumer Chatbots
Enterprise API (What We Use)
Training on your data
❌ May train on conversations
✓ NEVER trains on your data
Data retention
❌ Stored indefinitely
✓ 7-30 days max, then deleted
Human review
❌ May review for quality
✓ No human review of content
Privacy policies
❌ Consumer privacy terms
✓ Enterprise DPA / BAA available
Compliance
❌ Limited certifications
✓ SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA-ready
Our AI Providers
Claude
Anthropic Claude
Claude Sonnet 4 API
SOC 2 Type IIISO 27001HIPAA
Zero Data Retention (ZDR) option
No training on API data — ever
30-day max retention
GPT
OpenAI GPT
GPT-4o / GPT-4 API
SOC 2 Type IIISO 27001ISO 27701
No training on API data by default
Data Processing Addendum (DPA)
Enterprise Key Management
Gemini
Google Gemini
Gemini 2.0 Flash API
SOC 1/2/3ISO 27001FedRAMP High
No training on customer data
ISO 42001 AI Management
HIPAA BAA available
Document Storage
Box
Enterprise-Grade Document Storage
When documents are stored, they reside in Box.com's secure cloud with automatic retention policies and encryption.
FINRA SEC 17a-4SOC 1/2/3ISO 27001HIPAAFedRAMP
🔄 How Your Data Flows
Understanding exactly what data is sent where gives you confidence in our security architecture.
Secure Processing Pipeline
📄
Your Document
Stays on device
→
🖥️
Browser
Text extraction
🔒→
☁️
Cloudflare
Secure proxy
🔒→
🤖
AI Analysis
No retention
→
📊
Results
To your browser
📦 What Data Is Sent
✅
Text Content Only
Only extracted text is sent to AI providers. Original PDF/Excel files are never uploaded to external servers.
🔐
Encrypted in Transit
All data uses TLS 1.3 encryption between your browser and our servers, and between our servers and AI providers.
🛡️
API Keys Protected
Your API keys are stored securely in Cloudflare Workers. They never touch your browser or frontend code.
⚠️ Important: Original files are NOT uploaded. Only extracted text content is sent for analysis.
📁 Document Storage Security
Box
Enterprise-Grade Document Storage
When documents are stored (optional), they reside in Box.com's secure cloud with automatic retention policies, audit trails, and encryption at rest.
FINRASOC 1/2/3ISO 27001HIPAAFedRAMP
🔐
AES-256 Encryption
All stored documents are encrypted at rest using AES-256 encryption with Box-managed keys.
📋
Full Audit Trail
Every access, modification, and download is logged with timestamps and user identification.
🏛️
FINRA SEC 17a-4
Compliant with financial services record-keeping requirements for broker-dealers and RIAs.
💡 Storage is Optional Many (k) Suite applications process data entirely in your browser without storing anything externally. When storage is needed, Box.com provides enterprise-grade security. You control what gets stored.
⚖️ Regulatory Compliance
⚖️
ERISA
Designed for fiduciary compliance. Full audit trails document prudent processes. No PII leaves your control without explicit action.
🏛️
FINRA / SEC
Box storage meets SEC 17a-4 requirements for record retention. Automated retention policies and legal holds supported.
📋
DOL Cybersecurity
Aligned with DOL's cybersecurity guidance for plan fiduciaries. Encryption, access controls, and incident response documented.
🇪🇺
GDPR
Data minimization by design. No unnecessary retention. Clear data processing purposes. DPA available from AI providers.
✅ TPA Compliance Checklist
🔐 Security Controls Implemented
✓ No PII stored on external AI servers
✓ Encrypted data transmission (TLS 1.3)
✓ No AI training on plan data
✓ SOC 2 Type II certified providers
✓ Audit logging for all transactions
✓ Role-based access controls
📄 Documentation: For fiduciary due diligence, SOC 2 reports are available under NDA from each provider's trust center.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
No. We use enterprise API tiers. All providers explicitly state that API data is NOT used to train models. Contractually guaranteed.
AI providers retain data for 7-30 days for abuse monitoring, then permanently delete. Anthropic offers Zero Data Retention.
No. Enterprise API data is NOT subject to human review. Only automated abuse detection processes the data.
PII is handled with extreme care. Census files are processed locally when possible. We never store SSNs. All PII in transit uses TLS 1.3.
Documents are processed locally in your browser. Only extracted text is sent — original files never leave your device.
Our infrastructure relies on SOC 2 Type II certified providers: Cloudflare, Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, and Box.com all maintain current certifications.
Anthropic: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA OpenAI: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001/27017/27018/27701 Google: SOC 1/2/3, ISO 27001, FedRAMP High, HIPAA Box: SOC 1/2/3, ISO 27001, FINRA SEC 17a-4, FedRAMP
📋
Sample Scenarios
Load industry-specific census data to explore Campaign(k)'s segmentation and engagement engine
Each scenario generates realistic participant data with diverse ages, compensation levels, deferral rates, and account balances — designed to demonstrate all four persona segments and missed-match analysis. Select a scenario to auto-load and process the data.
💻30 employees
NextGen Technologies
Technology Startup — Austin, TX
Fast-growing SaaS company. Young, equity-heavy workforce with inconsistent 401(k) participation and several non-contributors.
72% under age 35 — heavy Young Accumulator segment5 employees at 0% deferral — missed match opportunitiesExec team as Pre-Retirees with large balances
🏥100 employees
Lakeside Family Medicine
Healthcare / Medical Practice — Chicago, IL
Multi-location practice with physicians, PAs, nursing staff, medical techs, and admin. Dramatic compensation spread between providers and support staff.
Comp range $36K–$385K — strong segmentation contrast28 catch-up eligible (age 50+) including senior physiciansAdmin/nursing staff averaging only 2.5% deferral
⚖️200 employees
Morrison & Associates LLP
Regional Law Firm — Philadelphia, PA
Full-service firm with 3 offices. Equity partners, income partners, associates, paralegals, and admin. Highly hierarchical compensation structure.
Partner avg comp $340K — strong Wealth Builder pool42% of staff missing full match — huge opportunity35 participants eligible for super catch-up (60-63)
🏭150 employees
Heartland Manufacturing Co.
Manufacturing / Industrial — Columbus, OH
Family-owned precision parts manufacturer. Long-tenured, aging workforce with production floor workers, supervisors, engineers, and management.
Avg tenure 14 years — deeply rooted workforce45% age 50+ — dominant Pre-Retiree segmentFloor workers averaging only 3% deferral
📊77 employees
Summit Financial Advisors
Financial Services / RIA — Denver, CO
Independent RIA with senior partners, managing directors, and rising young professionals. Rich mix of HENRYs and HNW-ready participants — ideal for demonstrating the HENRY → Wealth Builder → HNW advisor referral pipeline.
Education-focused nonprofit. Modest salaries, mission-driven workforce. Classic underserved plan with low participation and awareness.
Avg comp $52K — modest salary environment18 employees at 0% deferral — major outreach neededDiverse age mix across all four persona segments
📊 2026 IRS Contribution Limits
Master the IRS contribution limits to help clients maximize their retirement savings. Here's what you need to know for 2025 and 2026.
Key 401(k) Limits
401(k)/403(b)/457 Elective Deferrals
2025:
$23,500
2026:
$24,500
Age 50+ Catch-Up
2025:
$7,500
2026:
$8,000
🔥 Ages 60–63 Super Catch-Up (SECURE 2.0)
2025:
$11,250
2026:
$11,250
Annual Additions Limit §415(c)
2025:
$70,000
2026:
$72,000
Compensation & Testing Thresholds
§401(a)(17) Comp Cap
2025:
$350,000
2026:
$360,000
HCE Threshold §414(q)
2025:
$160,000
2026:
$160,000
Key Employee / Officer
2025:
$230,000
2026:
$235,000
Social Security Wage Base
2025:
$176,100
2026:
$184,500
What This Means
Under 50: up to $24,500. Age 50–59 or 64+: up to $32,500 ($24,500 + $8,000 catch-up). Age 60–63: up to $35,750 ($24,500 + $11,250 super catch-up). These are the maximum elective deferral amounts for 2026.
Effective January 1, 2026: Participants whose prior-year FICA wages exceeded $150,000 must make all catch-up contributions on a Roth (after-tax) basis. If the plan doesn't offer Roth, those high earners cannot make any catch-up contributions. This is a critical compliance issue for plan sponsors.
The total of all employer and employee contributions (excluding catch-ups) cannot exceed the lesser of 100% of compensation or $72,000 for 2026. With catch-up: up to $80,000 (age 50+) or $83,250 (age 60–63).
Only the first $360,000 of an employee's compensation can be used when calculating employer contributions and for nondiscrimination testing. Employees earning above this cap effectively have their employer match or profit sharing capped.
Employees earning over $160,000 in 2025 are classified as Highly Compensated Employees (HCEs) for the 2026 plan year. Their contributions are subject to ADP/ACP testing, which can restrict deferral amounts if the plan fails nondiscrimination tests. Safe Harbor plans bypass this requirement.
📎
Tip: Campaign(k) automatically applies the correct IRS limits for the selected analysis year, including super catch-up rules for ages 60–63. The segmentation engine flags participants who are under-contributing relative to their limit.
🏛️ 401(k) Plan Type Comparison
Not all retirement plans are created equal. The right plan depends on business size, owner goals, and how much you want going to employees vs. owners.
Common Plan Types
STARTER PLAN
Traditional 401(k)
Best for: Companies wanting maximum flexibility in plan design and employer contribution levels.
Employee Deferral (2026)$24,500
Catch-up (50+)$8,000
Employer matchDiscretionary
✓ Full flexibility✓ Roth option✗ Requires ADP/ACP testing
MOST POPULAR
Safe Harbor 401(k)
Best for: Businesses wanting to maximize owner savings with predictable employee cost. Bypasses ADP/ACP testing.
Employee Deferral (2026)$24,500
Catch-up (50+)$8,000
Total Annual Additions$72,000
✓ No ADP/ACP testing✓ Profit sharing flexibility✓ Roth & loan options✗ 3–4% required to employees
AGE-WEIGHTED
401(k) Cross-Tested
Best for: Older owners with younger employees — maximize owner allocation through age-weighted profit sharing.
Based on a typical scenario: 55-year-old owner earning $250K with 4 younger employees averaging $55K each.
Traditional
45%
Safe Harbor
62%
Cross-Tested
82%
401(k) + Cash Bal.
94%
How Campaign(k) Uses This
Campaign(k) works with any 401(k) plan type. When you configure the match formula in Step 2, the engine calculates missed match opportunities based on your specific plan design — whether it's a Basic Safe Harbor (100% on 3%, 50% on next 2%), Enhanced Safe Harbor (100% on 4%), QNEC, or custom tiered match. The segmentation engine then identifies which participants would benefit most from plan design conversations with their advisor.
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Pro tip for Prime Capital: Wealth Builder and Pre-Retiree segments often have participants who would benefit from a plan design upgrade — especially adding profit sharing or Cash Balance layers. Use Campaign(k) reports to identify plans where an upgrade conversation could unlock significant tax savings for owners and key employees.