How Do State “Auto-IRA” Policies Affect Household Balance Sheets?

Adam Bloomfield, Ngoc Dao, Kyung Min Lee and Sita Slavov

No 35373, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We examine how state policies requiring firms to facilitate workplace retirement saving affect household balance sheets. Using data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), we compare private-sector workers likely exposed to Oregon’s Automatic-Enrollment Individual Retirement Account (Auto-IRA) policy with similar workers in not-yet-adopting states. We find that the Auto-IRA policy is associated with increases in IRA and employer-sponsored retirement plan ownership and assets. We also find increases in checking or savings account ownership and balances, as well as higher credit card debt. The results suggest that Auto-IRA policies spill over to household liquidity management and borrowing.

JEL-codes: D14 G51 J32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-06
Note: AG
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