Retirement Plans for Event Planners: Solo 401(k) and Managing Feast-or-Famine Income

By Yarik Yarosh, CPA ·September 5, 2026 ·3 min read

Written by Yarik Yarosh, CPA (US & Canada) September 5, 2026 · FL CPA license AC61704 · CPA Ontario

Event planners with variable income face a retirement planning challenge: revenue is concentrated in peak season (May-October for weddings, Q4 for corporate events), and slow months may produce little or no income. The retirement contribution should match the total year’s income, not any single month. A planner who earns $40,000 from May to September and $15,000 the rest of the year can still contribute based on the full $55,000 (net of expenses), making the December 31 contribution deadline the relevant date, not the monthly cash flow.

✓Key takeaway

A solo event planner (no W-2 employees, subcontractors are fine) uses the Solo 401(k): $23,500 employee deferral (deadline December 31) plus 25% of net SE income as an employer contribution (deadline is the tax filing date, including extensions). The employee deferral deadline of December 31 means the planner must have the cash available by year-end. For planners with seasonal income, this means setting aside funds during peak season for the year-end contribution. The employer contribution can be made as late as October 15 (with extension), giving the planner months after year-end to accumulate the funds. Event planners who hire day-of coordinators, assistants, or other support staff as W-2 employees cannot use the Solo 401(k) and must use a SIMPLE IRA or Safe Harbor 401(k). Event planners who use only 1099 subcontractors (freelance coordinators, freelance designers) can still use the Solo 401(k).

How much can an event planner contribute?

Hypothetical example

Round numbers. An event planner managing 25 events/year earns $110,000 in net profit (management fees after expenses). SE-adjusted income: approximately $102,135.

Solo 401(k):

Employee deferral (by December 31): $23,500
Employer contribution (by filing deadline): 25% of $102,135 = $25,534
Total: $49,034

Tax savings at 22-24% marginal rate: approximately $11,288. The $49,034 contribution reduces taxable income from $110,000 to approximately $60,966 (before standard deduction), potentially dropping the planner from the 24% bracket into the 22% bracket on a significant portion of income.

Timing strategy: During peak season (May-September), the planner sets aside $4,000/month into a savings account designated for the Solo 401(k). By October, $20,000 is accumulated. In November-December (from fall event revenue), the planner adds $3,500, reaching $23,500 by December 31 for the employee deferral. The employer contribution ($25,534) is made the following April (or October with extension).

Illustrative numbers only, not a real client and not advice for your facts.

What about years with significantly lower income?

Event planners may have a down year (fewer events, a major cancellation, entering the business). The Solo 401(k) contribution is entirely discretionary: the planner can contribute anywhere from $0 to the maximum. In a year with $40,000 in net profit, the planner might contribute $10,000 (employee deferral only) rather than the full $23,500, preserving cash for living expenses.

The flexibility of the Solo 401(k) is its biggest advantage for variable-income businesses: no mandatory contribution, no penalty for contributing less than the maximum, and the ability to adjust year by year.

Related guides:

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Cite this page

Yarik Yarosh, CPA. "Retirement Plans for Event Planners: Solo 401(k) and Managing Feast-or-Famine Income." Blue Cloud CPA, September 5, 2026. https://bluecloudcpa.com/guides/event-planning-retirement-plans

This guide is general information, not tax advice for your specific situation. Which points apply, and how, depends on your facts.