If you operate through a U.S. Professional Corporation and have no employees, your retirement plan options may be far more powerful than you’ve been told.
Solo Defined Benefit Plans offer incorporated professionals a high-limit, tax-efficient retirement strategy that goes well beyond traditional IRAs and 401(k)s — without adding employees or administrative complexity.
Who This Is For
This strategy is designed specifically for:
- Lawyers, doctors, dentists, and CPAs
- Ages 40–60, in peak earning years
- Operating through a Professional Corporation (PC)
- No employees (other than self or spouse)
- Partners in firms with 5–200 incorporated professionals
If this describes you or your firm’s partners, you may qualify.
Why Traditional Retirement Plans Fall Short
Most incorporated professionals rely on capped retirement tools:
- IRAs and 401(k)s limit how much you can contribute
- Contribution limits don’t scale with income
- High earners often outgrow these options quickly
Solo Defined Benefit Plans were built to solve this exact problem.
What Is a Solo Defined Benefit Plan?
A Solo Defined Benefit (DB) Plan is a private pension-style retirement plan available to eligible Professional Corporations with no employees.
Unlike defined contribution plans, Solo DB Plans are designed to:
- Maximize tax-deductible contributions
- Scale with age and income
- Create meaningful long-term retirement assets
Key Benefits
No IRS Contribution Cap
Contribute far more than IRA or 401(k) limits allow.
Large Corporate Tax Deductions
Contributions are deductible to the Professional Corporation.
Past Service Buybacks
Catch up on years of missed retirement contributions — potentially generating a large first-year deduction.
No Employees Required
Designed specifically for solo or partner-only PCs.
Ideal for Peak Earning Years
Especially effective for professionals 40+.
Built for Firms, Not Just Individuals
For professional firms with multiple incorporated partners, Solo DB Plans can be introduced at the firm level:
- One presentation to managing partners
- Voluntary opt-in by eligible partners
- No changes to payroll or staffing
- No requirement for firm-wide participation
This approach avoids slow 1:1 sales cycles and delivers value across the partnership.
How the Process Works
- Eligibility Review
Confirm Professional Corporation structure and employee status.
- Contribution Estimate
Receive a personalized projection based on age and income.
- Discovery Call (30 Minutes)
Walk through numbers, deductions, and plan mechanics. - Onboarding & Implementation
Plans are structured, actuarially supported, and fully compliant.
Questions We Commonly Get
- Do I qualify if I’m part of a group practice or firm?
- How much could I realistically contribute?
- How does this compare to a 401(k) or cash balance plan?
- Can my spouse participate?
All of these are covered during your discovery call.
A Note for Accountants & Advisors
Solo Defined Benefit Plans are designed to complement existing tax strategies, not replace them.
We work alongside your CPA or tax advisor to ensure:
- Proper plan design
- Compliance and documentation
- Alignment with your broader planning goals
Get Your Free Contribution & Tax Estimate
If you’re an incorporated professional with no employees, this strategy could significantly increase how much you save — and deduct — each year.
Use this form to reach out and receive your free contribution and tax estimate:
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Disclaimers
- Advisory services are provided by MacNicol & Associates Asset Management. The firm is registered as an investment advisor with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and only conducts business in states where it is properly registered or is excluded from registration requirements. Registration is not an endorsement of the firm by securities regulators and does not mean the adviser has achieved a specific level of skill or ability.
- You should consult with a professional advisor before implementing any strategies discussed. All investments and strategies have the potential for profit or loss. Different types of investments involve higher and lower levels of risk. There is no guarantee that a specific investment or strategy will be suitable or profitable for an investor’s portfolio. Historical performance returns for investment indexes and/or categories, usually do not deduct transaction and/or custodial charges or an advisory fee, which would decrease historical performance results. There are no assurances that a portfolio will match or exceed any particular benchmark.
- Alternative investments are speculative and involve a high degree of risk. Investors could lose all or a substantial portion of their investment. Investments may be illiquid, and there may be significant restrictions on transfers. Alternative investments may be leveraged, and their performance may be volatile. These investments may involve complex tax structures.
- Model returns have inherent limitations, especially the fact that they do not represent the performance of any particular client. Actual clients’ accounts may be managed differently in response to changes in economic conditions, account restrictions, and/or the client’s investment objectives. Hypothetical performance results may not be as reliable as actual returns from clients’ accounts. All results are presented net-of-fees and include dividends and capital gains.
- In constructing actual portfolios for clients, we might deviate from the asset allocation and investments utilized in this model. Asset allocation and diversification do not assure or guarantee better performance and cannot eliminate the risk of investment losses.
- The MAAM Pro Equity Model was developed, evaluated, and backtested by MacNicol & Associates Asset Management US, LLC. Results for the overall model are backtested and are net of all fees that will be charged to a client. Investing involves risks, including the potential loss of principal. The model that gave rise to these backtested performance results is one that the adviser is now using in managing clients’ accounts. All figures in this deck are net of all fees, and expenses.
- *The MAAM U.S. LLC returns are in US Dollars and all returns are net of all fees. Model returns are backtested results and may not represent actual returns for an investor moving forward.
