Millions of Americans build retirement savings through workplace plans. But roughly 41 million workers lack access to employer-sponsored retirement plans, including small-business employees, part-time workers, independent contractors, gig workers, and self-employed people.
That gap matters because workers without employer plans often have to start saving on their own. President Donald Trump's new executive order aims to make that easier, which could help more workers build a better retirement plan.
Get a protection plan on all your appliances
Did you know if your air conditioner stops working, your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover it? Same with plumbing, electrical issues, appliances, and more.
A home warranty from Choice Home Warranty could pick up the slack where insurance falls short.
For a limited time, you can get your first month free with a Single Payment home warranty plan.
What TrumpIRA.gov is supposed to do
The executive order directs the Treasury Department to create TrumpIRA.gov by Jan. 1, 2027. The site is meant to help workers compare high-quality, low-cost individual retirement accounts, or IRAs.
This is not a new government-run retirement plan. Instead, TrumpIRA.gov would act more like a federal comparison platform for private-sector IRAs that meet certain standards for cost, transparency, and investment quality.
Why this matters for workers without employer plans
IRAs already exist, so the issue is not that workers have no legal way to save. The bigger problem is that many people never open one unless a workplace plan nudges them to start.
Employees with 401(k)s often get payroll deductions, reminders from HR, and sometimes an employer match. Workers outside that system usually have to research accounts, compare providers, choose investments, and make contributions on their own.
Who could benefit most
The order is aimed at people who are often left out of workplace retirement systems, like independent contractors or employees at small businesses. Many of these workers never get access to automatic payroll deductions or employer retirement matches, which sometimes makes saving consistently much harder.
For these workers, TrumpIRA.gov could reduce confusion. A federal website listing low-cost options may make opening an IRA feel less intimidating, especially for people who assume investing is complicated or only for higher earners.
If you’re over 50, take advantage of massive discounts and financial resources
Over 50? Join AARP today— because if you’re not a member you could be missing out on huge perks. When you start your membership today, you can get discounts on things like travel, meal deliveries, eyeglasses, prescriptions that aren’t covered by insurance and more.
Start your membership by creating an account here and filling in all of the information (Do not skip this step!) Doing so will allow you to take up 25% off your AARP membership, making it just $15 the first year with auto-renewal.
What kinds of IRAs would be listed
To appear on TrumpIRA.gov, financial institutions would need to offer IRAs that meet specific requirements. The order says listed accounts should have no minimum contribution requirements and no minimum balance requirements.
The accounts would also need to keep costs low. The order sets a 0.15% cap on overall net expense ratios, including operating costs, management fees, and administrative expenses. Lower fees matter because even small costs often reduce long-term retirement growth.
The Saver's Match is the biggest incentive
The most important financial piece may be the federal Saver's Match. Eligible lower- and middle-income workers who contribute to qualifying retirement accounts could receive up to $1,000 per year from the federal government.
Trump did not create the Saver's Match from scratch. It was authorized under the SECURE 2.0 Act, which was passed during the Biden administration. The new order is designed to increase awareness and help workers access the match.
How the Saver's Match could work
The basic idea is similar to an employer match, but the money comes from the federal government. A worker contributes to a qualifying IRA or other eligible retirement account, and the government adds a matching contribution if the worker meets the rules.
That could be especially meaningful for workers without workplace plans. Someone who has never had access to an employer match may be more likely to save if they know the federal government could add money too.
Retirement News: Almost 80% of Americans fear a retirement age increase — here’s the real reason why
A simple example of the long-term impact
The White House offered a hypothetical example of a 25-year-old low-income worker who saves about $165 per month and qualifies for around $1,000 per year through the Saver's Match.
Assuming a 6% annual return, that worker could have about $465,000 by age 65. About $155,000 of that total could be tied to the Saver's Match, showing how a yearly incentive may grow over several decades.
Why the plan may still have limits
TrumpIRA.gov could make saving easier, but the current setup is still voluntary. Workers would need to visit the site, choose an IRA, open the account, contribute money, and keep contributing over time.
That could represent a major limitation. Many people delay retirement saving even when accounts are available. Others may want to save but struggle to contribute consistently because rent, groceries, health care, and other bills take priority.
Why Congress may need to act
The administration is asking Congress to expand the framework. That could include broader eligibility for the Saver's Match, additional matching support, or automatic enrollment features.
Auto-enrollment could be especially important. Retirement experts often point to automatic enrollment as one of the strongest ways to increase participation. Without it, the number of workers who actually benefit could be much lower than projections suggest.
Get instant access to hundreds of discounts
Over 50? Join AARP today— because if you’re not a member you could be missing out on huge perks like discounts on travel, dining, and even prescriptions.
Get 25% off membership — just $15 for your first year with auto-renewal — and a free gift if you join today.
What workers should watch for
Workers without employer-sponsored retirement plans should watch for more details before TrumpIRA.gov launches. The Treasury will still need to provide guidance on how the site works, which financial institutions qualify, and how Saver's Match contributions should be processed.
Workers also do not necessarily need to wait until 2027 to start saving. IRAs are already available through many banks, brokerages, and investment firms, although the new site may make comparison shopping easier.
Bottom line
TrumpIRA.gov could help workers without employer retirement plans find simpler, lower-cost IRA options and learn about the Saver's Match. That could be valuable for people who have never opened a retirement account before.
Still, the order does not solve every retirement savings barrier. The program's success may depend on whether workers hear about it, trust it, have money to contribute, and keep saving long enough to build a stress-free retirement.
More from FinanceBuzz:
- Bills to cut if money feels tight.
- Find out if you're overpaying for car insurance in just a few clicks.
- Make these 7 savvy moves when you have $1,000 in the bank.
- 14 benefits seniors are entitled to but often forget to claim.
Add Us On Google