u/Giggles_isoffline

I’m trying to understand Solo 401(k) contribution limits and I’m getting confused about the employee vs employer contribution part.

This is just a hypothetical example for simple math:

Let’s say:
- I have a high-paying W-2 job
- I fully max out my employer’s 401(k)
- I also run my own solo business with no employees
- My business makes $100k profit

My questions are:

1. Can I still contribute to a Solo 401(k) if I already maxed out my work 401(k)?
2. If so, how much could the business contribute?
3. Is the employee limit shared between both plans?
4. How does the employer/business contribution actually work?

I think the part confusing me is:
- I understand the employee contribution limit is shared
- But I don’t understand how the business can still contribute “extra” on top of that

Can someone explain this in simple terms?