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How do firms respond to state retirement plan mandates?

Author

Listed:
  • Adam Bloomfield
  • Kyung Min Lee
  • Jay Philbrick
  • Sita Nataraj Slavov

Abstract

We investigate how state “Auto‐IRA” mandates affect firm offerings of employer‐sponsored retirement plans (ESRPs). These policies require firms without ESRPs to facilitate automatic employee contributions to state‐created individual retirement accounts. We find that these policies increase an individual's probability of working for a firm with an ESRP by 6%–9% and of being included in the ESRP by 8%–13%. At the firm level, these policies increase the probability of offering an ESRP by 7%, the probability of establishing a new ESRP by 41%–44%, and the number of ESRP participants by 6 percent.

Suggested Citation

  • Adam Bloomfield & Kyung Min Lee & Jay Philbrick & Sita Nataraj Slavov, 2025. "How do firms respond to state retirement plan mandates?," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 63(1), pages 265-288, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecinqu:v:63:y:2025:i:1:p:265-288
    DOI: 10.1111/ecin.13259
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies

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