AARP Hearing Center
AARP is supporting states in their efforts to create and implement a state retirement savings option that would enable small business owners and their employees better prepare for retirement. These privately managed state savings options would be easy for employers to set up with low costs and low risks to the employer and the state. This phone survey of 401 small business owners with 1 to 100 employees was commissioned by AARP in Alaska to gauge the support of small business owners in the state for a public–private retirement savings program.
![Alaska state capitol building Alaska state capitol building](https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarpe/en/home/pri/topics/work-finances-retirement/employers-workforce/alaska-small-business-owners-survey/_jcr_content/root/container_main/container_body_main/container_body1/container_body_cf/body_one_cf_one/par1/articlecontentfragmeImage1/cfimage.coreimg.75.932.jpeg/content/dam/aarp/research/topics/work-finances-retirement/employers-workforce/alaska-state-capitol-building.jpg)
Across political parties, Alaska small businesses support a public–private retirement savings option.
Seven in ten Alaska small business owners support a privately managed, ready-to-go retirement savings option that would help small businesses offer employees a way to save for retirement (Republican: 71%; Democrat: 70%; Independent: 76%). Additionally, most small business owners agree that state legislators should support a bill to make it easier for small business owners to access a retirement savings option for their employees and themselves.
Methodology
The survey was fielded from October 17 through November 13, 2023. The sample came from a Data Axel business list and is weighted according to statistics found via All Sectors: County Business Patterns, including ZIP Code Business Patterns, by Legal Form of Organization and Employment Size Class for the U.S., States, and Selected Geographies: 2021.
For more information, please contact Jennifer Sauer at jsauer@aarp.org. For media inquiries, contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.