The New York Times has an informative article on how small-business owners, freelancers, and the self-employed can use defined-benefit, or pension, plans for retirement. These Section 415 defined-benefit plans can be useful especially for older independent workers, because they allow you to contribute pre-tax income without predetermined dollar or percent-of-income restrictions. The contribution for a Section 415 plan is calculated based on what you want it to pay out, and how soon. According to the finance experts that the Times quotes, these plans are "best for sole proprietorships and small partnerships, limited liability companies and S corporations." That's because they're geared toward small businesses, and all the employees in the business must be included. So, if you're a business of one, it might be worthwhile to learn more.