By Nicolette Cavallaro
Staten Island Advance, N.Y.
(TNS)
The Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service issued guidance Friday outlining the anticipated rules for the new federal Saver’s Match program, which will provide eligible taxpayers with a government contribution to their retirement savings accounts.
The guidance, Notice 2026-48, describes the expected rules for the Saver’s Match program and begins implementation of President Donald Trump’s April Executive Order 14403, which directs the Treasury to establish TrumpIRA.gov and promote low-cost retirement savings options.
Under the program, eligible taxpayers can receive a federal match of up to 50% on the first $2,000 in qualified retirement savings contributions made to an employer-sponsored retirement plan or an individual retirement account, providing a maximum annual match of $1,000.
“Millions of low- and moderate-income Americans will have the opportunity to strengthen their retirement savings through the Saver’s Match program,” IRS CEO Frank J. Bisignano said in a statement. “The Saver’s Match makes saving easier and more rewarding by providing a direct federal contribution to an eligible taxpayer’s retirement account.”
The program, enacted as part of the SECURE 2.0 Act, replaces the Saver’s Credit. Eligible taxpayers will begin receiving payments in 2028 based on contributions made during the 2027 tax year.
Unlike the Saver’s Credit, which reduces what you owe in taxes, the Saver’s Match puts money directly into your retirement account. The program also includes a gradual income-based phaseout rather than eligibility changes tied to income thresholds.
Despite the program’s potential benefits, policy experts say implementation could be challenging.
According to The Pew Charitable Trusts, government agencies and financial institutions must identify eligible taxpayers, streamline the application process for people who do not typically file tax returns and develop the infrastructure needed to transfer funds from the U.S. Treasury to retirement accounts.
Several legal provisions could also complicate implementation. Although Roth IRA contributions qualify for the Saver’s Match, the matching funds must be deposited as pretax traditional retirement contributions.
As a result, some financial institutions may need to establish separate traditional accounts for savers who maintain only Roth IRAs.
TrumpIRA.gov
Under the executive order, the Treasury plans to launch TrumpIRA.gov on Jan. 1, 2027.
According to the notice, the website will provide information about high-quality, low-cost IRAs, with a focus on workers who do not have access to employer-sponsored retirement plans. The executive order also emphasizes that individuals who contribute to qualifying IRAs and otherwise meet eligibility requirements are entitled to receive a Saver’s Match contribution.
Treasury and the IRS anticipate that TrumpIRA.gov will list financial institutions that offer IRAs, accept Saver’s Match contributions and meet other established criteria.
The IRS said additional information for IRA providers interested in being listed on the website will be released later this year.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
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© 2026 Staten Island Advance, N.Y. Visit www.silive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC.
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