State Retirement Programs

Have more questions? Submit a request
Employer - PEO.svg

This article is about Justworks PEO. What product am I using?

To help provide more opportunities for small businesses, various states have introduced, passed, and enacted legislation for both voluntary and mandated state run Individual Retirement Account (IRA) programs for employers to provide to their employees.

What is a State Retirement Program? 

A state retirement program is a state facilitated retirement option that employers can take advantage of if they are not currently offering a retirement benefit to their employees. 

Who is eligible to participate in State Retirement Programs? 

Employer: Generally speaking, companies who do not currently offer a retirement benefit to their employees are eligible to participate in the state sponsored retirement plan. Some states do have additional eligibility requirements such as company size and/or how long the company has been operating. For more information on a specific state’s eligibility requirements visit the state retirement program website linked below. 

Employee: Generally speaking, employees must have earned wages in a given state to be eligible to enroll in the state’s retirement program. Some states do have additional eligibility requirements such as age, minimum earned wages, and/or employment type. For more information on a specific state’s eligibility requirements visit the state retirement program website linked below. 

Am I required to participate in a State Retirement Program? 

While you are not required to offer your employees retirement benefits through your company, some states may require you to enroll in state programs or submit an exemption based on your company’s eligibility. Some states with mandated state retirement programs also have enrollment deadlines and/or fees/penalties that may apply if the necessary action is not taken. To check if a state requires participation and for further details on applicable deadlines and potential penalties, visit the state website linked below. 

What if I offer my employees 401(k) benefits via Slavic401k or another provider? 

If you already offer 401(k) benefits to your employees you are not required to participate in state retirement programs. However, you may still need to certify your company’s exemption with the state directly. Whether you currently offer a retirement plan to your employees or not, Justworks will notify you prior to an applicable deadline if there is any action required.

Which states offer a State Retirement Program? 

See below for a list of states currently offering a retirement program as well as upcoming state retirement legislation. For more information visit the state resources linked below. 

 

State Resource 
 California  CalSavers
 Colorado  Colorado SecureSavings
 Connecticut   MyCTSavings
 Delaware  Delaware EARNS
 Illinois   Illinois Secure Choice
 Maine  Maine Retirement Savings Program
 Maryland  MarylandSaves
 Massachusetts (Voluntary)  Massachusetts CORE Plan
 New Hampshire (Voluntary)  New Hampshire Retirement System
 New Jersey  RetireReady NJ
 Oregon  OregonSaves
 Virginia   RetirePath Virginia
 Washington (Voluntary)  Retirement Marketplace
 

Upcoming State Retirement Legislation

State  Retirement Legislation  
 Hawaii  Hawaii Retirement Savings Program
 Minnesota  Minnesota Secure Choice Retirement Program
 Missouri (Voluntary)  Show-Me MyRetirement Savings Administrative Fund
 Nevada  Nevada Employee Savings Trust Program
 New Mexico (Voluntary)  New Mexico Work and Save Act 
 New York   New York Secure Choice Savings Plan
 Rhode Island  Rhode Island Secure Choice Retirement Savings Program
 Vermont   Green Mountain Secure Retirement Plan
 Washington  Washington Saves Program

 

Disclaimer

This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, legal or tax advice. If you have any legal or tax questions regarding this content or related issues, then you should consult with your professional legal or tax advisor.