How ROBS works

Nexus helps founders turn retirement savings into business capital. Form a C-Corp, set up a new 401(k),
complete a tax-deferred rollover, and have the plan purchase stock in the C-Corp.

A practical path to fund what you want to own.

Nexus helps qualified founders turn existing retirement savings into business capital, with setup through funding separated clearly from the ongoing administration that starts afterward.

Planning around an acquisition closing? Review the ROBS rollover timeline and the ROBS plus SBA sequence.

01

Fund the move without a monthly payment

Put existing capital to work in the business instead of adding debt service before operations are moving.

02

Keep the timing in your hands

Confirm eligibility, see the required steps, and move from intake to funding without waiting on outside committees.

03

Stay close to the business

Preserve operating control, keep the economics tied to your work, and avoid turning every decision into a stakeholder negotiation.

The Nexus Process
Eligibility Check
C-Corp Formation
New 401(k) Plan
Retirement Fund Rollover
Business Funded

What happens at each step

01

Eligibility check

$50K+ in qualifying retirement funds plus an active role in the business. Roth and inherited IRAs don't qualify.

02

C-Corp formation

Form a new C-Corp with formation filing, first-year registered agent, state filing fee, and EIN letter included.

03

New 401(k) plan

The C-Corp adopts a new plan and trust, and Nexus files for the plan trust EIN.

04

Retirement fund rollover

A direct trustee-to-trustee rollover from your existing 401(k), IRA, or 403(b), structured as a tax-deferred rollover.

05

Business funded

The plan buys newly issued stock in the C-Corp. Nexus also includes the first-year ERISA fidelity bond.

A live operating view for the work after funding.

Compliance should not live in a spreadsheet, inbox, or once-a-year panic. After funding, Nexus handles the filings, the testing, the renewals, and the records. The dashboard shows you exactly what's done, what's next, and what needs your action.

Nexus compliance dashboard

Post-funding administration, renewals, documents, and alerts.

Current
Plan year2026
Next filingQ2
Open issues0
Annual filing calendarForm 5500 and plan-year work
Scheduled
Required testingCoverage and nondiscrimination checks
Tracked
Plan documentsTrust, adoption agreement, amendments
Organized
Annual renewalsERISA bond, valuation, registered agent, and state filing services
Visible
NEXUS

$5,000 setup. $500 a quarter after funding.

A comprehensive pricing model covering setup, ongoing administration, and formation related services.

$5,000One-time setup
$500/qtrOngoing administration
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Common questions

How long does setup take?

Most ROBS setups through Nexus can go from intake to funded in 2 to 3 weeks. The key variable is often rollover speed: how quickly your existing custodian releases your retirement funds for transfer into the newly formed 401(k) plan.

Why does it have to be a C-Corp?

A 401(k) plan is only permitted to invest in employer stock that qualifies as "qualifying employer securities" under ERISA 407(d)(5). In practice, that means common or preferred stock of a C-Corp. LLC membership interests, S-Corp stock, and partnership units don't qualify.

What does Nexus handle?

Nexus performs the setup and the ongoing administration. At launch, Nexus forms the C-Corp, establishes the 401(k) plan and trust, files both EINs, prepares the rollover, and documents the stock purchase. After funding, Nexus administers the plan and the corporate record: annual testing, required filings, ERISA bond renewal, and the cap table and valuation records that keep the 401(k) plan compliant and the C-Corp in good standing. For a more detailed overview, see our pricing page.

What if the business fails?

ROBS arrangements involve investment and compliance risk. Because retirement funds are invested into the business through the retirement plan, some or all of those funds could lose value if the business is unsuccessful. While ROBS provides a way to invest retirement assets into a business, it does not protect the business from failure.

See All FAQs

Ready to see if you qualify?

Eligibility check takes a few minutes. No credit card required, no obligation.