Mapping State Retirement Programs

There are currently 20 U.S. states that have enacted retirement saving programs for private sector workers, with more in the policy pipeline to potentially come online next year, according to Georgetown University’s Center for Retirement Initiatives.

When these programs first started coming online—OregonSaves was enacted in 2015 and launched in the second half of 2017—the retirement industry had some trepidation about state-run plans taking over from private offerings. But early research has indicated that, rather than supplant private defined contribution plans, state mandates may actually be further bolstering private uptake.

Even so, some industry groups remain wary of states wading too deeply into employer-sponsored plans covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

The ERISA Industry Committee, a nonprofit representing benefits administrators across the country, has brought numerous lawsuits against states for, in part, violating ERISA’s preemption rule, which states that ERISA “shall supersede any and all State laws insofar as they may now or hereafter relate to any employee benefit plan.”

Meanwhile, the march of more states adding state-facilitated retirement plans continues. Last week, Rhode Island announced it will pilot its auto-IRA program, in partnership with Vestwell, in spring 2025.

As part of this month’s special coverage, PLANADVISER turned to Georgetown for a visual update of where state-run and facilitated retirement plans stand today and where they may go in the future.

2024 State Program Information Map

  Legislative proposal and/or study commissions in 2024
  Auto IRA*
  MEP (Voluntary)*
  Combination (Voluntary) – Payroll Deduction IRA and Marketplace*
  Auto-IRA and Marketplace*
  Recent state efforts (2012-2024)
  No recent state efforts

*Programs enacted (2012 – present)

Source: Georgetown University’s Center for Retirement Initiatives