Retirement planning when nobody matches your contributions
Self-employment gives you higher contribution ceilings than most employees ever get — and zero automation to take advantage of them. Set your numbers below and see both: what you can legally put away this year, and what it becomes if you actually do.
Balance at 65
$428,437
Income at 4% a year
$1,428/mo
Short of target
$2,572/mo
Projected growth · 27 years
Estimated SEP-IRA room: $18,000 this year
25% of net self-employment income, capped at $72,000. No catch-up for SEP-IRAs.
Based on $72,000 of net business income. 2026 planning estimates — confirm the final numbers with your tax pro before you contribute.
Which plan fits you
SEP-IRA
Simplest high-limit plan for a one-person business. You contribute up to 25% of net self-employment income. No annual filing.
Solo 401(k)
Highest ceiling for solo owners. You contribute as both employee (salary deferral) and employer (profit share). Slightly more paperwork.
SIMPLE IRA
Good when you have a few employees. Lower limits than a Solo 401(k) but easy to run and you must match employee contributions.
Traditional IRA
Anyone with earned income can open one. Low limit, but contributions may be deductible and it stacks with a workplace plan.
Roth IRA
No deduction today, but growth and qualified withdrawals are tax free. Income limits apply.
How to actually fund it
Reserve tax first
Retirement money you have to pull back out for a quarterly payment was never savings. Set your tax percentage aside on every deposit before anything else.
Pay yourself a flat number
Pick a monthly draw you can survive on in a slow month. Irregular income only becomes plannable once your own paycheck is boring.
Sweep the surplus
Whatever is left above the draw and the reserve goes to retirement. In good months that number is large — that is the whole advantage of working for yourself.
Run this on your real numbers
Hate Ledger already knows your net income, your reserve balance and your monthly spend. Inside the app this calculator fills itself in and updates as the year goes.
2026 planning estimates. Educational only — not investment or tax advice. Contribution limits and phase-outs change annually; confirm with a tax professional.