What Happened?

As a reminder for employers with workers in Minnesota, the Minnesota Secure Choice Retirement Program will begin voluntary enrollment during a “soft launch” in early 2026. Mandatory employer registration will follow starting April 1, 2026, with deadlines phased in based on employer size.

Overview

Key dates:

• Soft launch (optional / voluntary):January 1 through March 30, 2026
  
  • Employers can choose to register early during this period.

• Mandatory registration begins:April 1, 2026
  
  • Starting this date, registration deadlines apply based on how many employees the employer has.

Who this applies to:

• Employers with five (5) or more employees in total who do not sponsor or contribute to, and

• Did not in the immediately preceding 12 months sponsor or contribute to a retirement savings plan for its employees.

• The five‑employee threshold is based on the employer’s entire workforce, not only the number of employees located in Minnesota.

• Coverage is determined by where work is performed, not by where employees live. This means the Program can apply even if employees reside outside Minnesota, as long as at least one employee performs services in Minnesota, and the employer meets the coverage criteria above

What the program requires: a coveredemployer must do one of the following:

1. Register for Minnesota Secure Choice, or
2. File an exemption (if already offering a qualifying retirement plan), or
3. Use an independent/private retirement plan provider instead of the state program (as long as it meets the requirement).

Mandatory registration deadlines (by employer size)

• 100 or more employees: April 1, 2026 – June 30, 2026
• 50 to 99 employees: July 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026
• 25 to 49 employees: January 1, 2027 – June 30, 2027
• 10 to 24 employees: July 1, 2027 – December 31, 2027
• 5 to 9 employees: January 1, 2028 – June 30, 2028

Why this matters:

• Employers should identify their assigned registration deadline early to avoid missing it.

• Employers should allow time to decide whether to register, claim an exemption, or use a private plan.

• If participating, employers may need payroll and process updates to support employee payroll deductions and timely remittance.

Key Risks for Employers

• Missing the assigned registration window (based on employee count).

• Assuming an exemption applies without confirming a qualifying plan is offered and properly filing the exemption.

• Waiting too long to prepare payroll operations and employee communications.

• Assuming the employer can opt out despite not offering a qualifying retirement plan (covered employers that do not offer a qualifying retirement plan cannot opt out of Minnesota Secure Choice once their compliance deadline applies).

Source References

• Minnesota – Secure Choice Retirement Program – The easy way to save for retirement
• Minnesota – CHAPTER 187. MINNESOTA SECURE CHOICE RETIREMENT PROGRAM

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