Which Retirement Account Is Right for Your Creator Business?

Brad breaks down the five main retirement account options available to content creators and explains how to match the right account to where you are in your business. Using his "feeding the freezer" analogy, he walks through each account type—from the basic Traditional IRA to the full 401k—covering contribution limits for 2026, tax benefits, and key gotchas for each. Brad explains why a Traditional IRA is a solid starting point but has income limits that can eliminate its tax advantages, why the SEP IRA is a favorite for solo creators who want to shelter serious income with minimal administration, and why the Solo 401k lets high earners reach the same contribution ceiling at a much lower income level. The episode also covers when a SIMPLE IRA or full 401k makes sense once you have a team, and what the administrative differences mean in practice. Throughout, Brad connects each account to a specific creator situation so listeners can quickly identify which option fits their stage of business.

Key Takeaways:

• A Traditional IRA is a solid starting point but income limits may eliminate the tax deduction for creators earning over ~$89,000 single or ~$148,000 jointly.

• A SIMPLE IRA works well for small teams of 2–5 people but requires mandatory employer contributions, which add to your costs.

• A SEP IRA lets solo creators contribute up to $72,000 in 2026 and can be stacked with a personal IRA contribution for nearly $80,000 in annual retirement savings.

• A Solo 401k reaches the same $72,000 cap as a SEP IRA but lets you front-load the employee deferral of $24,500, making it more accessible at lower income levels.

• A full 401k is the right move once you have W-2 employees—Solo 401k eligibility ends the moment you bring on staff.

• Secure Act 2.0 introduced a "super catch-up" for creators aged 60–63, pushing Solo and full 401k limits to $83,250 for 2026.

Key Timestamps:

(00:00) - Feeding the Freezer

(01:30) - The Traditional IRA

(03:00) - The SIMPLE IRA