New York Secure Choice Savings: What SMBs should know

In New York, about 4.3 million private-sector employees do not have access to 401(k) plans, pensions, or other retirement savings options. To address this retirement savings gap, the state government of New York hopes to bolster retirement savings options by establishing retirement programs for employers that do not currently offer a plan. 

In October 2021, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation into law that requires most employers with 10 or more employees to provide retirement options for workers. ​​Senate Bill S5395A requires private sector employers without a current retirement plan to automatically enroll their employees in New York State's Secure Choice Savings Plan.

2023 Updates: Implementation of the program appears to be moving forward, but final details, including any deadlines, are to be determined. Although Senate Bill S5395A went into effect in October 2021, the Board has up to two years to finalize program design and implementation. Businesses should track when enrollment opens—and Human Interest is here to help. To avoid upcoming deadlines, businesses can start a qualifying 401(k) plan.

The nuts and bolts of the New York State Secure Choice Savings Program

Originally enacted in 2018, the Secure Choice Savings plan is an automatic enrollment payroll deduction IRA retirement savings program. New York’s $168 billion fiscal budget for 2019 added a provision for this new, voluntary option to help more New Yorkers save for retirement using a Roth IRA. The program is managed by the New York State Secure Choice Savings Board, while the Department of Taxation and Finance oversees its development and implementation. 

Passed by the New York General Assembly in May 2021, and the New York State Senate in June 2021, ​​Senate Bill S5395A was signed into law on October 21, 2021. To comply, employers must have a payroll deposit retirement savings arrangement no later than nine months after the New York State Secure Choice Savings board opens the program for enrollment.

What employers should know about the New York Secure Choice Savings Program 

Is New York Secure Choice mandatory?

Yes. Private-sector companies with at least 10 employees that have been in business for at least two years and have not offered employees a qualified retirement plan such as a 401(k) or 403(b) are required to provide an auto-enroll IRA program. 

What are the deadlines for businesses?

Employers must have a payroll deposit retirement savings arrangement no later than nine months after the New York State Secure Choice Savings board opens the program for enrollment. And while legislation became effective immediately after being signed into law, specifics about future deadlines are still uncertain as of early 2022.

It was originally suggested that employers would be required to enroll in NY Secure Choice by December 31, 2021—but did not provide further insight on how to do so. However, on January 26, 2022, the New York State Secure Choice Savings Board held its first meeting to lay some foundations for the program. As this suggests, implementation of the program is seemingly moving forward as of early 2022.

Stay tuned for more details on when the program will open for enrollment.

What if my company already offers a retirement savings program?

If your small business already offers a 401(k), 403(b), or pension plan, you are not required to use the New York Secure Choice Savings Program. Businesses retain the option to choose retirement programs of their choice for employees.

Learn more about New York State Secure Choice Savings Program alternatives:

• Use our calculator to see how much a 401(k) would cost with SECURE Act tax credits applied.

• Read more about the fees associated with launching and maintaining a 401(k) plan for your business.

• Read our guide on setting up a small business 401(k).

Are employees automatically enrolled or can they opt out?

When businesses choose to participate in the plan, employees are automatically enrolled, unless they designate that they will opt out. Following initial implementation of the program, employers must provide an open enrollment period at least once every year. During this time, employees who previously opted out can enroll again in the program.

Employees are initially enrolled at a contribution rate of 3% of their wages, and payroll deductions will begin following the 30th day an employee has been enrolled in the program. However, employees may voluntarily elect to change their contribution levels. Savings are portable and can be transferred if an employee takes a position with another company.

How much does the plan cost employers?

The only costs employers will face are administrative set-up fees, making this an affordable option for businesses and employees, compared to plans offered by some traditional retirement plan providers. Secure Choice legislation includes a one-time investment of $4 million to cover administrative costs, which is expected to be recouped by the program within a few years.

Employers are not required to contribute. This means that small business owners won’t—and can’t—match employee contributions. If you’re interested in providing an employer match to your employees, you will need to consider offering a 401(k) plan.

How much can employees save with an IRA?

The new plan simplifies the savings process via a payroll deduction. Employees can save up to the annual Roth IRA limits, which are $7,000 for those under 50 and $8,000 for workers 50 and older in 2024. Roth IRAs allow retirement savings to grow tax-free and withdrawals made after retirement are generally not taxed (since contributions are taxed on the way in).

Is NY the only state with a state-sponsored retirement program?

New York is not alone in its efforts to boost retirement programs for workers. More than ten states have passed legislation authorizing state-sponsored retirement programs, while more than 20 states and cities have introduced legislation.

Created to make it easier for small businesses to offer retirement plans and for employees to benefit from them, the New York Secure Choice Savings Program legislation is expected to expand employee retirement savings statewide since 91% of employees will choose to save for retirement when they have the option of an automatic payroll deduction, according to data from Vanguard (versus just 60% for plans that offer voluntary enrollment).

Simplifying retirement savings for all

Research indicates that the New York Secure Choice Savings Program will likely be popular. 74 percent of New York-based businesses without employee retirement plans were in support of such a privately-managed state retirement savings option. Plus, Americans are 15 times more likely to save when they can do so through work.

Employers have options

Rather than Secure Choice, an employer could offer another type of retirement savings plan to their employees instead. Want to learn more about low-cost, retirement savings 401(k) plans designed to match the needs of small and medium-sized businesses? We’re here to help. Sign up for a demo today.