08/18/2026
There is a way to read the RetirePath expansion that does not appear on any compliance checklist. The mandate requires your eligible employees to save from their own paychecks, at a point when some of them may not feel they can afford it, and that changes how it lands.
Faced with a deduction they did not choose, lower-wage workers have an incentive to look for employers who either fall outside the mandate or offer a retirement plan that gives them something in return, such as an employer match. To stay competitive for staff, many owners in this position will conclude that they need a plan of their own, not because the state requires that specific plan, but because their ability to attract and keep good people now depends on it. The encouraging part is that a plan in which you make an employer contribution may qualify for tax credits that offset much of the cost, which is something the state program, where employer contributions are not allowed, cannot offer.
The owners who treat July 1 as a prompt rather than a chore tend to be the ones who come out ahead. The deadline forces a decision, but the quality of that decision is still yours to determine.
We have laid out the options in plain terms here: https://s-bcpas.com/retirepath-changes-2026/
If you would like to think through what makes sense for your team, contact SpieglerBlevins.
