State Retirement Resource Center

About The State Retirement Resource Center

Welcome to the AARP State Retirement Resource Center, your go-to resource for data, information, and public opinion research related to state legislation, program design, specific focus areas, and implementation of retirement savings. For additional research requests or other needs, please contact AARP Media Relations at media@aarp.org.

The Case for the Auto IRA

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State Auto IRAs Set for Vermont, Nevada, As Pennsylvania Awaits Vote

State-facilitated retirement plans are on the rise, as AARP calls for the Pennsylvania state legislature to vote yes on new proposed program.

State Automated Savings Programs: Collected resources on employer, worker, and taxpayer experiences

Pew Charitable Trusts resources, data, and research on state-automated retirement savings programs.

Welfare Effects of Automatic IRAs

This study highlights the positive effects of retirement savings programs on employees when offered by states.

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State Automated Retirement Savings Programs Continue to Complement Private Market Plans

This Pew analysis of 2021 federal data finds that new state-facilitated initiatives may boost private sector plans.

graph of auto ira laws and participation in employer plans

Early Findings on State Auto-Enrollment IRA Programs

A study examines the impact of state-run auto-enrollment IRA programs on employer-sponsored retirement plans in Oregon, Illinois, and California.

United States Capitol, building, Washington DC, USA, AARP Public Policy Institute,

Neal Introduces Automatic IRA Bill, Ways & Means Committee

Richard E. Neal (D-MA) introduced the Automatic IRA Act of 2024 to expand retirement coverage for millions of workers. The bill generally requires employers with over ten employees who do not sponsor a retirement plan to automatically enroll their employees in IRAs (automatic IRAs) or other automatic contribution plans or arrangements, like 401(k) plans. Smaller employers would be eligible for a new auto-IRA tax credit, making this requirement essentially costless to implement.

Latest Research

Find an Everyday 401(k) plan that's right for you and your employees

This interactive resource helps employers find retirement plans for their employees, with the tool detailing various retirement plan options for various business types. It also has information pertaining to state-mandated legislation on retirement plans, timelines for program enactment, and specific state program details such as offered plans, effective dates, and included employers/employees.

‘Significant benefits’ gained from state-run retirement savings programs: study

A state-run retirement savings program can provide “significant benefits” for workers whose employers don’t offer plans, according to a study of a model in Oregon recently published in Contemporary Economic Policy.

Americans’ Views of State-Facilitated Retirement Programs

Since 2012, every state except Alabama has either enacted or introduced legislation establishing state-facilitated retirement savings programs.

Most Americans (77%) agree that state-facilitated retirement savings programs are a good idea. There is high support across party and generational lines, with support highest among Millennials (79%).

State-facilitated Workplace Retirement Programs: What Businesses Should Know

The Federal Reserve reports that financial well-being declined, and 35% of those surveyed said they were worse off than the year before, while only 31% of non-retirees from the 2023 survey thought their retirement plan was on track — down 9% from the year before. Across America, many states are experiencing a retirement savings crisis. For example, in Connecticut, 600,000 working people in private industries still have no access to retirement plans. To deal with this crisis, 18 states and two cities have enacted legislation, and nine have fully implemented programs.

Shanley Bill Would Create Voluntary State Retirement Savings Plan

State Rep. Evan P. Shanley has introduced a bill establishing a voluntary state retirement savings plan, with deductions from Rhode Islanders’ paychecks into a low-cost voluntary retirement savings plan.

Pew Supports Bill Designed to Help 1.2 Million Workers in Washington State Access a Secure Retirement

Pew supports a bill to help 1.2 million private-sector workers without access to employer-sponsored savings plans, establishing an automated savings program.

Washington Saves’ Program Would Help 1.2 Million Workers Save for a More Secure Financial Future

A recent study by Pew quantified the projected costs of insufficient retirement savings both nationally and in Washington state, finding that insufficient savings results in decreased household spending on goods and services and increased demand for social assistance programs.

Utah Small Business Owners Support Access to a Retirement Savings Program

This AARP survey explored the opinions of 511 Utah small business owners or decision makers about employee benefits.

Michigan Voters Support Retirement Savings Option

This AARP survey explored the opinions of registered Michigan voters on retirement saving issues.

AARP Arizona Voter Retirement Security Survey

This AARP survey explored the opinions of Arizona registered voters on retirement saving issues. Results revealed that two in three Arizona registered voters feel anxious about having enough money to live comfortably in retirement.

Hawai`i Retirement Savings Program: Opinions of Small Business Owners

Four in five Hawai`i small business owners support a privately managed, plug-and-play retirement savings option that would help small businesses offer employees a way to save for retirement, according to a recent AARP survey.

AARP Kansas Work & Save Small Business Owner Survey

This AARP survey explored the opinions of 500 Kansas small business owners or decision makers about employee benefits.

Pension Plan Types and Social Security Knowledge: New Survey Evidence

This study looks at Social Security knowledge among respondents and suggests those exposed to information related to Social Security and other benefits are more likely to be financially well-off in retirement.

States Face $334.3 Billion Shortfall Over 20 Years Due to Insufficient Retirement Savings

This study highlights the positive economic effects of retirement savings and finds that automated savings programs for private sector workers can reduce the strain on government budgets.

Resources for Researchers and Policymakers

State Specific Resources

Resource page with a national fact sheet and state specific fact sheets and research

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State Action

Legislation enacted and introduced for state retirement savings

Program Design

As states move forward to create and implement retirement savings plans for private-sector workers, there are important considerations for consumers, employers, and taxpayers.

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National Retirement Plan Coverage

This AARP study finds that employer-sponsored retirement savings plans vary across size of firm, type of industry, income level, and across demographics.

Federal Retirement Legislation

National Association of State Retirement Administrators (NASRA)

A resource for state-wide public retirement savings systems.

Saving for Retirement

A federal government resource with retirement savings tools such as savings planning worksheets, cost of living estimations, and Social Security retirement plan benefits guides.

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National Institute on Retirement Security (NIIRS)

A resource with a myriad of information pertaining to research on federal retirement savings legislation. Known as an education organization, NIIRS informs policymaking on retirement security to employees, employers, and the economy.