The SECURE 2.0 Act is a U.S. law, enacted at the end of 2022, that makes wide‑ranging changes to retirement savings rules to encourage more people to save and to give savers more flexibility. It builds on the original 2019 SECURE Act and affects 401(k)s, 403(b)s, IRAs, SIMPLE/SEP plans, and 529 college plans.

Core goals

• Expand access to workplace retirement plans (especially for small employers and part‑time workers).
• Increase how much and how long people can save in tax‑advantaged accounts.
• Add new flexibility for emergencies, student loans, and unused 529 money.

Key changes for individuals

• Required minimum distributions (RMDs) from IRAs and workplace plans generally start later (age 73, with a future rise to 75 for younger cohorts).
• Higher “catch‑up” contribution limits for people around ages 60–63 in workplace plans, plus inflation indexing of some catch‑ups.
• More Roth options: Roth contributions now allowed for SIMPLE and SEP IRAs, and employees can elect to have employer contributions made as Roth in certain plans.
• Limited penalty‑free early withdrawals for emergencies, domestic abuse, terminal illness, and certain disasters, plus a framework for small emergency savings accounts linked to retirement plans.
• Ability, under conditions and limits, to roll over some leftover 529 plan funds into a Roth IRA for the beneficiary.

Key changes for employers and plans

• Many new 401(k) and 403(b) plans will be required to use automatic enrollment and automatic escalation starting in 2025, with some exceptions for very small or new businesses and certain plans.
• New or enhanced tax credits to make starting retirement plans more affordable for small employers.
• Option to treat employer matches on student loan payments as if the employee had contributed to the plan, so workers paying student loans can still get a match.
• New rules and guidance needs around plan administration, reporting, and “lost and found” services for old accounts.

If you share your age, employment type (W‑2 vs self‑employed), and current accounts (401(k), IRA, etc.), a more tailored list of what SECURE 2.0 means specifically for you can be outlined.