As a plan sponsor, you are responsible for collecting and submitting employee 401(k) contributions, loan repayments, and employer contributions to your plan. Contributions must be deposited as soon as administratively possible to remain compliant with Department of Labor (DOL) and IRS rules.

This article explains who needs to take action, how to submit payroll contributions through MyUbiquity.com (or SimplyRetirement.com), key deadlines, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Who This Applies To

This guide is for employers and plan administrators responsible for manually submitting 401(k) contributions for their company’s retirement plan. Payrolls are automatically submitted for plans with 180-degree or 360-degree payroll integration .

What Happens If You Don’t Submit Contributions

  • Delayed deposits violate DOL/IRS rules.
  • Your company must make employees whole for missed earnings and may face penalties.
  • Consistent errors or late deposits can put your plan at risk of compliance violations.

How to Submit Employee Payroll Contributions

You can submit payroll contributions either through the online webform or by uploading a batch file.

Option 1: Submit via Webform

  1. Log in at MyUbiquity.com (or SimplyRetirement.com for Simply Retirement plans).
  2. In the left navigation, click Contributions > Report Contributions.
  3. Select the correct pay period from the drop-down menu.
  4. Enter the required employee data:
  • Gross earnings
  • Actual hours worked
  • 401(k) deductions
  • Loan repayments (if applicable)
  • Employer contributions (if applicable)
  1. Review totals in the Summary section:
  • Total Contributions
  • Total Debit Amount
  1. (If applicable) Apply offsets such as forfeitures or excess cash by checking the Use Offset box.
  2. Click Save and Continue, then Process Payroll.
  3. You will be redirected to the Payroll History page for confirmation.

Option 2: Submit via Batch File (required if you have 125+ employees)

  1. From the Report Contributions page, click Batch File Specs to download the template.
  2. Enter all required fields (SSN, Gross Earnings, Hours, Contributions) and save as a .csv file.
  • Delete extra instructional rows and totals.
  • Format dates as YYYYMMDD.
  • Enter full SSNs (format as Social Security Number in Excel).
  • Do not use negative numbers, commas, or blanks.
  1. Return to Report Contributions and click Upload Batch File.
  2. Select your saved file and click Process Payroll.
  3. Review your Payroll History page for confirmation.

Funding Contributions

Contributions are processed using the Automated Clearing House (ACH) system:

  • Funds are debited from your company bank account on file.
  • You must have sufficient funds available at the time of submission. Insufficient funds cause delays, lost investment earnings, and possible ACH provider fees.

Contribution Timeline

  • Day 1: Submit payroll on or within 7 business days of pay date.
  • Day 2: Funds are debited from your company bank account.
  • Day 3: Funds transfer via ACH.
  • Day 4: Contributions are processed for investment.
  • Day 5: Contributions post to employee accounts and investments are viewable.

Submission Deadline

  • Payrolls must be submitted before 2:00 PM Pacific Time for same-day ACH processing.
  • Submissions after 2:00 PM will be processed the following business day.

Deposit Instructions by Custodian

Use these instructions to send contributions and rollovers directly to your plan’s custodial account. If you are accepting a rollover from an employee because they cannot utilize the online rollover process, please provide them with the Rollover form.

Payroll Deposit Rules and Compliance

The Department of Labor requires you to remit employee contributions and loan repayments as soon as administratively feasible:

Deposit Timing for Small Plans (Fewer than 100 Employees)

  • Safe harbor rule applies.
  • Deferrals are considered timely if deposited within 7 business days after the payroll date.
  • You may deposit sooner if administratively feasible, but deposits made within this 7-day window are automatically treated as compliant.

Deposit Timing for Large Plans (100+ Employees)

  • No safe harbor rule applies.
  • Deferrals must be deposited as soon as administratively feasible, but no later than the 15th business day of the month following the payroll date
  • .Under audit, “administratively feasible” is interpreted as the earliest date you have successfully deposited payroll in the past. 

If deposits are late:

  • You must make up lost investment earnings for employees.
  • You may need to file IRS Form 5330 and pay excise taxes.
  • See our Late Contribution Guide for correction instructions.

Checking Contribution Status

You can confirm contributions were processed by:

  • Reviewing the Payroll History in your Employer Dashboard.
  • Viewing the Contributions Report (summary by employee/payroll date).
  • Viewing the Transactions Report (processed trades and settlement status).

Payroll Adjustments and Corrections

If Payroll Has Not Been Processed

  1. Go to Contributions > History.
  2. If eligible, click Recall to cancel the submission (must be before 2:00 PM PT same day).

If Payroll Has Been Processed

  • Use the Adjust option (available 3–5 days after processing) to add missing or corrected amounts.
  • Only positive values can be submitted online.
  • For negative adjustments (e.g., overpayments), the trustee or plan administrator may email letter of instruction. Note: a $195/hour fee applies for manual processing.

Troubleshooting

  • Contribution not posted: Verify your bank account had sufficient funds and review Payroll History.
  • Payroll rejected: Check that employee data (SSN, DOB, hire/termination dates) is accurate. Correct and resubmit.
  • ACH debit missing: Ensure payroll was submitted before 2:00 PM PT.

Special Contribution Scenarios

  • Loan Payoffs: Contact Ubiquity for the payoff balance. The employee issues a check to your company, which you then deposit and include in your payroll submission under the Loan column. Payoffs typically post within 3–5 business days.
  • Offsets: Apply available offsets (forfeitures, excess cash) in the Offset Calculations section when reporting contributions.
  • Excess Cash: Use excess custodial cash to offset contributions. If unused, it will be returned to your funding account after 20 business days (less custodial fees).

Updating Payroll Information

  • Changing Bank Accounts: Go to Report Contributions > Funding Account, update account details, check “Enabled,” then click Save Account.
  • Changing Payroll Schedules: From Contributions > Payroll Schedule, update frequency and start date. Ubiquity will adjust loan repayment schedules automatically.
  • Setting Up Payroll Integration: Contact us with your payroll provider details. Setup takes 2–6 weeks, during which you must continue submitting payrolls manually.

Need Help?

If you need assistance, please contact us.