Employer FAQs
You can join the program at any time. The required date or deadline, is the date by which you are required to register and facilitate the program or certify your exemption.
To get started, simply visit our sign-up page, then enter your EIN and Access Code. If you have not yet received a notification with your Access Code, you can request one by completing this form.
To contact support, please call (833) 811-7437 or email clientservices@marylandsaves.com.
NO, but MarylandSaves offers a way to meet the State’s requirement at no cost to employer.
Under Maryland law, most* Maryland employers will soon be required to offer their employees some sort of retirement savings. This can be a traditional pension, a 401(k) plan, a 403(b) plan, a SEP plan, a SIMPLE IRA plan, a governmental deferred compensation plan — or a WorkLife Account from MarylandSaves. MarylandSaves is not an ERISA plan and does not offer the features of most ERISA plans. However, of these options MarylandSaves is the only one that doesn’t charge the employer a fee.
*This applies to businesses that have been in operation for at least 2 calendar years, have at least one W-2 employee, and use an automated payroll system.
An employer-sponsored retirement plan includes a plan qualified under Internal Revenue Code sections 401(a) (including a 401(k) plan), qualified annuity plan under section 403(a), tax-sheltered annuity plan under section 403(b), Simplified Employee Pension plan under section 408(k), a SIMPLE IRA plan under section 408(p), or governmental deferred compensation plan under section 457(b). It does not include payroll deduction IRAs.
Employers that choose to introduce a qualified retirement plan after enrolling employees in the MarylandSaves program should contact our client services team at 1-833-811-7437 and request to “unregister.” Our team will then take you through the necessary steps.
You can still offer MarylandSaves to your employees on your own with no complex administration — easily making it a part of your own payroll process. Watch this video to see how facilitating the program involves minimal steps and allows you to focus on your business.
Saver FAQs
If you haven’t received a notification of enrollment, you can ask your employer, or call 1-833-811-7437, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. ET.
Every pay period, your employer will deduct your contribution from your paycheck, based on your set savings rate, and will send your contribution to your personal WorkLife Account. You can also make your own contributions through your bank account or by check, using a paper mail-in form.
Yes, the call center will offer assistance in English and Spanish and will have access to translation services for other languages. Certain materials are also available in Spanish.
Contribution limits for IRAs are set by the federal government. For 2025, you can save up to $7,000 per year if you’re younger than 50 and $8,000 per year if you’re 50 or older, as long as you have earned at least that much. This contribution limit applies across all IRAs you may have (both Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs with the State and elsewhere). Your MarylandSaves Account will automatically stop accepting contributions if you go above the limits in any year.
If you are contributing to a Roth IRA, you also need to meet certain income levels based on your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). See this publication from the IRS for more information about how your Modified Adjusted Gross Income determines how much you are able to contribute to your Roth IRA account.
Contributions to WorkLife Accounts are made on a post-tax basis. The percentage contributed is based on your gross income earned (the amount you make before any taxes or deductions have been taken out) with your facilitating employer. If you also contribute to a Traditional IRA, those contributions may be deductible on your tax return. It may be best to consult with a tax professional to determine what you can or cannot deduct.
The standard contribution is 5% of your gross income (which is the total amount you make in your paycheck before any taxes or deductions are taken out). You can choose to save more, or less, in 1% increments.