Pew Supports Bill Designed to Help 1.2 Million Massachusetts Workers Access a Secure Retirement

Legislation would help employers offer a no-cost retirement benefit, reducing pressure on public assistance programs

WASHINGTON—The Pew Charitable Trusts expressed support today for a bill in the Massachusetts Legislature, saying the measure would help some 1.2 million workers secure a stronger financial future.

The Massachusetts Secure Choice Savings Program Act (H.998/S.624) would establish an automated savings program that would automatically enroll workers who lack access to a savings plan at work in an individual retirement account (IRA) in which a portion of their wages would be set aside every pay period.

Under the legislation, workers would be able to save through a standard rate or by customizing their savings to meet their needs. Workers would have full control of their contributions and investments, and they could opt out entirely, at any time. Meanwhile, at no cost to them, businesses registered in the program would be able to seamlessly enroll their employees. The program would be a public-private partnership, professionally managed by a private financial services firm with oversight by the commonwealth. 

Fifteen states have passed similar laws, which are variously known as “auto-IRA,” “work and save,” and “secure choice”: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Virginia. Although some of the state programs are still in their infancy, more than 715,000 savers in the seven states with active programs have already amassed nearly $1 billion in assets since 2017.

John Scott, director of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ retirement savings project, issued the following statement:

“Americans want to build a secure retirement. Yet more than half of private sector workers in the U.S. work for an employer that’s unable to offer retirement benefits.

Research shows that workers are 15 times more likely to save for retirement if they can use a payroll deduction. The Massachusetts Secure Choice Savings Program Act offers exactly that: It’s an innovative and practical solution, with no costs for employers, to address the challenges workers in Massachusetts face in this tightening economy. The act will also allow small businesses to compete with larger businesses to recruit and retain workers.

“When workers are financially secure, they’re less reliant on taxpayer-funded government programs, better able to withstand financial shocks, and more likely to save for their future. In fact, our research shows that closing the retirement savings gap in Massachusetts will save the commonwealth’s taxpayers more than $13 billion over 20 years.”

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Celebrating its 75th anniversary, The Pew Charitable Trusts uses data to make a difference. Pew addresses the challenges of a changing world by illuminating issues, creating common ground, and advancing ambitious projects that lead to tangible progress. Learn more at pewtrusts.org.

A bakery shop employee with brown hair and wearing a gray shirt reaches into a lighted pastry case where the store’s array of baked goods are displayed.
A bakery shop employee with brown hair and wearing a gray shirt reaches into a lighted pastry case where the store’s array of baked goods are displayed.
Fact Sheet

MA Secure Choice Would Help 1.2M Workers Save

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Fact Sheet

Retirement security is dependent on people saving for their future, but millions of Americans lack access to an employer-provided savings plan. Research shows that workers are 15 times more likely to save for retirement if they can do so through payroll deduction; many small businesses, however, are unable to offer retirement benefits because of high startup costs and a lack of administrative capacity.

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Although most Americans save for retirement through employer-provided plans, 56 million private sector workers lack access to such an opportunity to save at work. Many employers, particularly small businesses, find themselves unable to provide retirement benefits because of high startup costs and limited administrative capacity. And that leaves state governments grappling with a critical question: What happens when their residents don’t have enough money to retire?

Tatiana Contreras, manager of Call Your Mother bakery in the Barracks Row community, prepares coffee on January 3, 2023 in Washington, DC. Barracks Row is a residential neighborhood filled with local business and restaurants, and is named after the oldest Marine corps in the nation.
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