Minnesota rolls out Secure Choice

Minnesota has begun rolling out Secure Choice, a state-facilitated retirement savings program for workers whose employers do not offer a workplace plan. The program portal opened in January 2026, and the state is phasing in compliance deadlines by employer size through mid-2028. Employers with at least five covered employees that do not offer a qualified retirement plan must either register or certify an exemption, according to the program’s official website. ### Which Minnesota employers are covered first? Minnesota Secure Choice says employers with 100 or more covered employees must register by June 30, 2026, if they do not already offer a qualified retirement plan. The next deadlines are December 31, 2026 for employers with 50 to 99 workers, June 30, 2027 for those with 25 to 49, December 31, 2027 for those with 10 to 24, and June 30, 2028 for those with 5 to 9. (mn.gov) January 19, 2026 marked the start of a soft-launch period for covered employers of any size. The Secure Choice Retirement Board says notices with a unique identifier were sent beginning the week of January 19, and employers can also access the portal using their federal employer identification number. ### What does an employer actually have to do? Eligible employers must provide their federal employer identification number and a Minnesota Secure Choice access code, then answer questions about their company and payroll process, complete payment setup and add employees, the program site says. (securechoice.mn.gov) Employers that already sponsor a qualified retirement plan can certify an exemption instead of enrolling. (mn.gov) The employer’s ongoing role is to send payroll contributions and maintain employee records, including adding new employees, updating contribution-rate changes and marking former employees as terminated. Minnesota Secure Choice says employers are not responsible for establishing the IRA itself, making employer contributions or paying employer fees. ### How are workers enrolled, and what is the default? (securechoice.mn.gov) Workers who are added by a participating employer have a 30-day window to opt out or customize their account. If they do nothing, they are automatically enrolled after that period at a default contribution rate of 5% of gross pay, deducted after taxes, according to the saver program details page. The default account is a Roth IRA, though workers can choose a Traditional IRA instead. (securechoice.mn.gov) Minnesota Secure Choice says participants can change their contribution amount, investment selections and beneficiaries, and can opt out or re-enroll later. ### How does payroll integration work for small businesses? Minnesota Secure Choice says the employer portal integrates with payroll providers including Gusto, Payroll Specialties and QuickBooks Online. (securechoice.mn.gov) If an employer does not use an outside payroll provider, or if its provider is not integrated, the program says contributions can be submitted through a manual upload process. Vestwell is the contracted service provider for the Minnesota program and hosts the online portal used by employers and savers. The Secure Choice Retirement Board says Vestwell was selected to support employer and employee accounts and to provide options for interfacing with payroll software and payroll firms. ### What does the program cost savers? Minnesota Secure Choice says saver accounts carry an annual asset-based fee of about 0.20%, plus a $24 annual account fee charged quarterly. (securechoice.mn.gov) The state’s public-facing materials also say there are no employer fees and no employer match requirement under the program. The Secure Choice website says the program is also open to self-employed Minnesotans and other individuals who want to save through an IRA account outside an employer registration. (mn.gov) The next major compliance date is July 1, 2026, when the phase for employers with 50 to 99 covered employees begins. (securechoice.mn.gov 1) (securechoice.mn.gov 2)