Better Outcomes Start with Better Plan Design
A retirement plan that isn’t designed for your specific goals can’t perform like one that is. MAP brings deep consulting expertise to help advisors and employers build plans that are optimized from the start – because design is where outcomes begin.
Why Design Comes First
One Size Does Not Fit Every Organization
Every employer has a different workforce, benefit strategy, ownership structure, and set of goals. The plan that’s right for a 10-person professional services firm looks very different from the one that serves a 500-person manufacturing company – and both of them are different from a high-income business owner looking to maximize personal retirement savings.
MAP’s consulting process starts with understanding where you are and where you want to go. From there, we design a plan structure that fits.
Workforce Alignment
Plan features that reflect your employee demographics, tenure patterns, and benefit philosophy.
Owner & Executive Goals
Maximizing tax efficiency and retirement savings for key stakeholders – within the right structure.
Compliance by Design
Plans built to pass testing, meet regulatory requirements, and avoid costly corrections.
Flexibility for Change
Design decisions that account for growth, acquisition, or workforce shifts down the road.
How we work
The Right Questions Lead to the Right Plan
Good plan design starts with good questions. MAP works alongside advisors and directly with employers to understand what success looks like for your organization – for owners, executives, and employees alike – then builds a plan designed to get you there.
Understand the benefit strategy and goals
We start by asking what you’re trying to accomplish – for owners, executives, and employees – and how the retirement plan fits into your broader compensation and benefit strategy.
1
Analyze the current structure against those goals
If a plan is already in place, we evaluate whether the existing design is working – identifying gaps, inefficiencies, or missed opportunities relative to your goals.
2
Model the plan type and features that best achieve them
We run projections and cost modeling across plan types and design features to show the tradeoffs – and identify which structure delivers the best outcomes for your situation.
3
Design and document the plan to spec
Once the structure is agreed, MAP handles the plan document, coordinates with your advisor and recordkeeper, and ensures the design is executed correctly.
4
Plan Types
The Right Structure for the Right Goals
Every employer has a different workforce, benefit strategy, ownership structure, and set of goals. The plan that’s right for a 10-person professional services firm looks very different from the one that serves a 500-person manufacturing company – and both of them are different from a high-income business owner looking to maximize personal retirement savings.
MAP’s consulting process starts with understanding where you are and where you want to go. From there, we design a plan structure that fits.
Traditional 401(k)
The foundational defined contribution plan. Flexible employer contribution options with broad applicability across organization types and sizes.
Best fit for organizations seeking flexibility in employer contributions and a familiar, widely understood plan structure.
Safe Harbor 401(k)
Satisfies nondiscrimination testing automatically by meeting defined employer contribution requirements – unlocking maximum deferrals for owners and HCEs.
Best fit for companies where owners or highly compensated employees want to maximize contributions without testing constraints.
Defined Benefit Pension
A formula-driven plan that promises a specified monthly benefit at retirement. Allows significantly higher contribution limits than DC plans alone.
Best fit for older business owners with strong cash flow who want to accelerate tax-deductible retirement savings well beyond 401(k) limits.
Cash Balance Plan
A hybrid defined benefit plan that credits each participant’s account with a set contribution and interest rate – combining DB tax advantages with DC-style individual accounts.
Best fit for professional practices and closely held businesses looking to dramatically increase deductible contributions for owners and key executives.
401(k) + DB / Cash Balance
Pairing a defined contribution plan with a defined benefit or cash balance plan creates a layered strategy that maximizes total contribution potential and tax efficiency.
Best fit for high-income owners and practices with stable revenue who want the maximum allowable contribution to qualified plans.
From Design To Delivery
Great Design Needs Great Administration Behind It
A well-designed plan only delivers if it’s administered with the same precision it was built with. Once design is complete, MAP’s service models – from core TPA administration to full fiduciary delegation – ensure the plan runs the way it is intended.
That distinction matters because it helps clarify:
- Navigator – Core Administration
- Auto Pilot – Operational Support
- Chauffeur – 3(16) Fiduciary
- P.A.M. Chauffeur – Full Delegation
Ready to Build a Plan That Performs?
Whether you’re starting fresh or rethinking what’s in place, MAP’s consulting team is ready to help you design a plan built for your goals – and built to last.