About Us — 401(k) Easy
A Smarter, Simpler Low Cost 401(k) for Small Businesses
At 401(k) Easy, we believe offering a great retirement plan shouldn’t be complicated—or expensive.
Founded by James Gilbert, 401(k) Easy has helped small business owners build strong, employee-friendly retirement plans for more than 30 years, with one clear goal:
Make 401(k) plans easier to run, more affordable, and more transparent—without taking fees from employees’ retirement accounts.
Designed for Small Business (and Built to Protect Retirement Savings)
Traditional 401(k) plans often come with:
- Limited investment options
- Pooled account structures
- Fee models that quietly reduce employees’ long-term savings
401(k) Easy was created to be the opposite of that.
- Employers pay plan costs — not employees
- No hidden fees
- No asset-based fees (no AUM fees)
- No commissions taken from participant retirement assets
- No “skimming” from retirement accounts—ever
Our model is simple: keep costs transparent, keep plan administration manageable, and keep employee savings protected.
Self-Directed Accounts + Broad Investment Choice
With 401(k) Easy, participants receive individually numbered self-directed brokerage accounts held with qualified custodians—so retirement savings are not pooled into provider-controlled investment funds.
That means participants enjoy:
- Direct ownership and visibility
- The freedom to choose investments that fit their goals
- Access to a broad range of qualified investment options, including:
- No-load mutual funds
- Index funds
- Commission-free stock and bond trading
- Thousands of investment choices
It’s retirement planning with flexibility—and transparency built in.
Powered by Trusted Custodians Like Charles Schwab
A key part of the 401(k) Easy advantage is participant access. That’s why we work with trusted custodians such as Charles Schwab, the default option for many new 401(k) Easy plans.
Schwab offers:
- Free self-directed brokerage accounts
- Access to 4,000+ investments
- 24/7 account visibility through Schwab’s independent website
- SIPC-insured custodial protection
And importantly: participants can access their accounts directly through Schwab anytime, 24/7, even if the 401(k) Easy website is offline.
Built on Proven Technology and Innovation
401(k) Easy is supported by technology that was designed specifically for individualized account administration.
In 2000, founder James Gilbert was awarded U.S. Patent 6041313 for “401(k) User Software,” which modernized retirement plan tracking by using individualized custodian accounts rather than pooled structures.
401(k) Easy serves as a recordkeeper, not a custodian. We:
- Track and reconcile every plan transaction
- Ensure accurate recordkeeping year after year
- Support compliance and distributions
- Never touch participant assets
- Never take constructive receipt of funds
- Never co-mingle participant retirement assets
Recognized by Union Bank: 401(k) Enginuity
The 401(k) Easy methodology was strong enough to earn the attention of Union Bank of California, which negotiated use of the patented system to create a custom platform for its small business clients.
That platform became 401(k) Enginuity, developed over more than a year and built with:
- A dedicated team of ten software engineers
- Extensive testing
- Union Bank certification prior to launch
401(k) Enginuity remains part of the technology foundation behind 401(k) Easy’s online services today.
A Company Built on Transparency
401(k) Easy is owned by Pension Systems Corporation (PSC), a California corporation established in 2008 (CA 3121569).
PSC owns:
- 401(k) Easy
- 401(k) Enginuity
- Other retirement plan services, including No Fees 401(k)
An ultra-low-cost “starter” plan for small businesses—created with the same core principles:
- Transparency
- Self-directed participant accounts
- A strict policy of never taking fees from retirement assets
Why Our “No 401(k) Fees on Participants’ 401(k) Retirement Savings” Matters
For decades, the retirement industry has drawn increasing attention to the impact of hidden and asset-based fees. Consumer research (including studies cited by nonprofit AARP) has reported that unnecessary fees can reduce retirement outcomes—sometimes by as much as 40%, or approximately $155,000 over time for an average participant.
That’s why our promise is simple and direct: 401(k) Easy does not deduct fees or commissions from employees’ retirement accounts.
Participant Freedom (Including Advisor Choice)
401(k) Easy does not provide investment advice. Participants are free to choose any financial advisor they wish, with one important requirement:
- Advisors must be paid directly by the participant with after-tax dollars
- Advisors cannot connect to participant accounts in a way that allows them to deduct fees or commissions from retirement assets
This keeps participant accounts protected—and ensures employees maintain true control.
Founder-Led Experience You Can Trust
Founder James Gilbert has been involved in retirement accounts since the earliest years of modern 401(k) plans.
His background includes:
- UC Berkeley graduate
- Leadership experience in business and technology
- Founder of multiple software-driven ventures
- Retirement plan specialization at Merrill Lynch and Dean Witter
- Former broker/dealer and long-time registered investment advisor
- A long-standing commitment to fee transparency and investor protection
- A+ Better Business Bureau rating for 25 years
Recognized by the Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal described 401(k) Easy as the “Quicken” of 401(k) plans for small businesses—highlighting its ability to help employers administer 401(k) plans using easy-to-use software and responsive support.
Our Promise
We believe a retirement plan should be:
- Easy to manage
- Affordable for employers
- Transparent for employees
- Designed to protect retirement savings—not quietly shrink it
401(k) Easy delivers:
- Self-directed accounts
- Broad investment choice
- Employer-paid plan costs
- Transparent recordkeeping
- Zero skimming from participant retirement assets
- Proven technology and long-term experience