Public Policy

Auto-portability fix for small 401(k)s leaves Roth savers behind

InvestmentNews' Lee Almazora pivots off an earlier piece in CNBC that highlights a general gap in the transfer of retirement funds that blocks Roth funds from moving back into another employer-sponsored plan, affecting auto portability. Almazora paraphrases RCH EVP & Chief Revenue Officer Neal Ringquist, who lays out key auto portability statistics, including consolidations, plans adopted and the number of active participants served by the network.

Small 401(k)s may automatically follow workers to their next job — except Roth money

Writing for CBNC, personal finance reporter Sarah Agostino examines the plan-to-plan portability afforded by auto portability, as delivered by the Portability Services Network, and highlights a gap that does not permit Roth funds to move through the system. Agostino turns to RCH EVP Neal Ringquist, who provides an overview of some key auto portability metrics, including consolidations, plans adopted and the number of active participants currently served by the network. Regarding Roth balance limitations, Ringquist states: “we are hoping this restriction is addressed by legislation or regulators soon, as it would open up additional accounts that can take advantage of auto-portability, particularly those in state-based auto-IRA programs.”

Also featured in MSN Money

How to Build Out the Auto Portability Clearinghouse Our Retirement System Demands

On March 5, 2025, Retirement Clearinghouse (RCH) released a landmark whitepaper – Building Out Clearinghouse Services for the U.S. Retirement System: A Blueprint for a Digital Infrastructure. Writing in NAPA Net, RCH's Tom Hawkins summarizes the high-level, compelling case for expanding the set of clearinghouse services beyond auto portability, and explains why this initiative is absolutely required in order to "create a retirement ecosystem that does what it should have done all along: protect workers’ savings as they move through their careers, not lose them along the way."

Previously featured in RCH's Consolidation Corner blog; also featured in PSCA News

Building Out the Clearinghouse Our Retirement System Demands

On March 5, 2025, Retirement Clearinghouse (RCH) released a landmark whitepaper – Building Out Clearinghouse Services for the U.S. Retirement System: A Blueprint for a Digital Infrastructure. In this article, RCH's Tom Hawkins, a co-author of the paper, summarizes the high-level, compelling case for expanding the set of clearinghouse services beyond auto portability, and explains why this initiative is absolutely required in order to "create a retirement ecosystem that does what it should have done all along: protect workers’ savings as they move through their careers, not lose them along the way."

RCH Proposes ‘Digital Clearinghouse’ to Modernize Retirement Infrastructure

Writing in NAPA Net, Ted Godbout addresses the newly-released whitepaper from Retirement Clearinghouse (Building Out Clearinghouse Services for the U.S. Retirement System: A Blueprint for a Digital Infrastructure), which "details how a 'neutral, digital clearinghouse' can reduce retirement plan cash‑outs and the number of dormant accounts, all while enabling seamless interoperability across recordkeepers, custodians, and government programs." Godbout writes "[t]he clearinghouse concept would be modeled after the firm’s Auto Portability Network, but expanded to include additional functionality, such as a Saver’s Match Network, Auto Locate Network, and Digital Rollover Network."

MEDIA ALERT: Whitepaper Presents Comprehensive Framework for Modernizing America’s Fragmented Retirement Ecosystem

MARCH 5, 2026 – Retirement Clearinghouse (RCH) today announced the release of a landmark whitepaper, Building Out Clearinghouse Services for the U.S. Retirement System: A Blueprint for a Digital Infrastructure. Authored by Spencer Williams, Thomas Hawkins, and Dr. Ricki Ingalls, the paper presents the most comprehensive framework to date for modernizing America’s fragmented retirement ecosystem.

Kelsey’s (K)orner: Cool Runnings and Auto Portability — How We Smooth the Track

Kelsey Mayo, Chief of Retirement Policy & Regulatory Affairs for the American Retirement Association (ARA), authors a piece in NAPA Net, addressing potential improvements that would "smooth the track" for auto portability, including allowing the portability of Roth balances, explicitly including sub-$1,000 balances and "expanding the parameters" to include balances greater than $7,000. Mayo closes by writing: "[a]uto portability is directionally correct. Leakage remains a very real threat—and this is meaningful progress."

Generation Beta: first Americans to save for retirement at birth

Writing in Employee Benefit News, RCH President & CEO Spencer Williams examines the phenomenon of Generation Beta, the first Americans "who will start saving for their retirement when they are born" - by virtue of their qualifying to receive federally-funded Trump Accounts. Williams further observes that "[w]hen recipients of Trump Accounts turn 18, those accounts are eligible to be rolled in to their employer’s 401(k) plan" and sees opportunities for "digital, paperless account portability" to facilitate the consolidation of these balances and allowing for their ongoing growth.