New state law expands RetirePath Virginia
For millions of American workers, the challenge of saving for retirement is not a lack of motivation. It’s a lack of access.
Roughly half of private-sector workers nationwide do not have access to a workplace retirement plan, according to The Pew Charitable Trusts. Without the ability to save through payroll deduction, retirement saving often becomes something people intend to do later, rather than something that happens consistently over time. That access gap contributes to lower savings rates and growing financial insecurity for many households.
States across the country are responding with a new kind of public innovation: state-facilitated auto-IRA programs. These programs are designed to make saving easier by offering automatic payroll deductions into individual retirement accounts (IRAs) for workers whose employers do not offer a plan of their own.
Virginia’s version of this model is RetirePath Virginia.
In 2026, the eligibility threshold for facilitating RetirePath dropped from businesses with 25 or more eligible employees to five or more eligible employees, and now includes part‑time employees.
You must register for RetirePath (or offer your own qualified plan or certify an exemption) if your business:
- Has five or more eligible employees*
- Has been operating in Virginia for at least two years
- Does not already offer a qualified employer‑sponsored retirement plan
If you don’t want to sponsor your own retirement plan, RetirePath allows you to meet the state law requirements with no employer fees and minimal administrative steps.
The deadline to register is quickly approaching, so learn more and take the Eligibility Quiz at RetirePathVA.com.
*Eligible employees are at least 18 years of age and receiving wages. Employers may exclude temporary or seasonal employees who work less than 90 calendar days a year.