Your CPA and Actuary: Different Roles, One Plan.
A retirement plan decision connects your business finances with a long-term funding commitment. Your CPA and actuary bring different expertise to that decision.
A framework for your decision
CPA
Business & tax picture
Actuary
Benefits & funding
Your plan decision
Shared business information
Business and tax picture
Your CPA helps establish income, entity structure, and tax planning priorities.
Plan funding picture
An actuary evaluates promised benefits and the funding needed to support them.
One coordinated decision
Review staff costs, annual commitments, and implementation with your advisors.
Your Business and Tax Picture
Start by discussing business income, compensation, entity structure, and cash needs with your CPA. These are important inputs to an individual plan review.
Bring your existing retirement plan documents and a current employee census. The team can then compare alternatives using the same business information.
The Plan Funding Picture
Pension actuaries evaluate future benefits and calculate employer funding for defined benefit plans. Their work helps connect the benefit a plan promises with the contributions needed to support it.
Ask which professional qualifications your plan requires and verify the qualifications of the person responsible for its actuarial work.
Read the IRS overview of pension actuarial work and its explanation of professional qualification requirements.
What to Review Together
Ask for the proposed owner and employee benefits, annual funding obligations, administration costs, assumptions, and implementation steps. Review the tax treatment with your CPA before you commit.
Ready for a coordinated plan review?
Share your goals and business details so our team can assess the next step with you. Individual figures require a review of your circumstances.
Review My Plan Options