Per State law, employers with 5 or more Illinois employees that have been in business for at least 2 years and that don’t offer a tax-qualified retirement plan are required to register for and facilitate Illinois Secure Choice or adopt their own qualified plan.  

Through Illinois Secure Choice, Illinois workers can save for retirement through Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) funded by payroll deductions. The program is facilitated by the State of Illinois and administered by a professional financial services firm. Employers do not pay any fees, make contributions, or have any fiduciary responsibility – they simply facilitate employee payroll deductions and keep their employee rosters current.  

The registration/exemption deadline for businesses that had an average of 5-15 Illinois employees in 2022 is November 1, 2023.  

Businesses in this enrollment group will receive correspondence directly from Illinois Secure Choice via mailed letters, and in some cases, emails as well, starting this summer. Correspondence will outline next steps. In the meantime, business owners can learn more about the program and access resources by:  

• Visiting the program website ilsecurechoice.com; 
• Watching a recorded Employer Overview; or  
• Attending a live employer overview webinar.