State-sponsored retirement programs—often referred to as auto-IRA programs—are rapidly expanding across the country. And for financial advisors, they represent a meaningful opportunity to help individuals along their retirement savings journey and achieve financial security.
In this timely webinar, two leading experts will break down what’s happening—and what it means for your practice.
Angela Antonelli, Executive Director of the Center for Retirement Initiatives at Georgetown University, will provide a comprehensive overview of the state-run retirement landscape, including how auto-IRA programs work, which states have active mandates, and where expansion is headed next.
Peter Thompson of Commonwealth Savers will then take a deeper dive into RetirePath, one of the newer state-facilitated programs, and explain how it is evolving as it rolls out to more businesses later this year.
Together, they will help you understand:
- How auto-IRA programs are reshaping the small business retirement market
- Which employers are impacted—and when
- Where advisors can still add value (and where they may be disintermediated)
- How programs like RetirePath actually function in practice
- Strategic ways to position yourself as a solution—not a substitute
As more states implement mandates and enforcement ramps up, advisors who understand this landscape will be better equipped to protect existing relationships, identify new opportunities, and guide clients with confidence. If you work with small business owners—or plan to—this is a conversation you can’t afford to miss.
*CE/CPE Eligible:1.0 CE credit(s) is(are) available to FEN Members with these designations: IAR, CFP, CLU, ChFC, CDFA and RICP. CPA and EA members will earn 1.0 CPE credit(s).
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this session.
Advanced Preparation: None
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
NASBA Approved
Financial Experts Network (Sponsor Id#: 145173) is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.
The Honorable Angela M. Antonelli is a Research Professor and Executive Director of the Center for Retirement Initiatives at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. As founder and Executive Director of the CRI, Angela works with policymakers, states, and stakeholders to expand and improve retirement savings, investment, and income solutions for private sector workers.
In 2015, she established the State-Facilitated Retirement Savings Program Network, which supports state retirement savings programs that, as of June 2024, include 20 programs in various stages of implementation with more than $1.7 billion in assets and nearly 1 million funded saver accounts.
Peter S. Thompson is Program Director for RetirePath Virginia, the Commonwealth’s automatic-enrollment retirement savings program for private sector workers who may not have access to an employer-sponsored plan. He brings more than 25 years of public and private sector experience in retirement plan administration, investments, insurance, and employee benefits, including prior leadership with the Virginia Retirement System, where he helped administer eight defined contribution plans with $7.3 billion in assets. His background also includes work with UnitedHealthcare, Northwestern Mutual, and Prudential, as well as experience as an entrepreneur, licensed insurance professional, and registered representative. Peter’s perspective is especially relevant for financial planners advising business owners, employees, and retirement savers as state-facilitated retirement programs continue to expand nationwide.