---
kind: "section"
citation: "26 U.S.C. § 45T"
title: "26"
title_heading: "Internal Revenue Code"
number: "45T"
heading: "Auto-enrollment option for retirement savings options provided by small employers"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/26/45T"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — Income Taxes"
  - "Chapter 1 — Normal Taxes and Surtaxes"
  - "Subchapter A — Determination of Tax Liability"
  - "Part IV — Credits Against Tax"
  - "Subpart D — Business Related Credits"
---

# §45T. Auto-enrollment option for retirement savings options provided by small employers

- (a) **In general—** For purposes of [section 38](/usc/26/38.md), in the case of an eligible employer, the retirement auto-enrollment credit determined under this section for any taxable year is an amount equal to—
  - (1) $500 for any taxable year occurring during the credit period, and
  - (2) zero for any other taxable year.
- (b) **Credit period—** For purposes of [subsection (a)](#a)—
  - (1) **In general—** The credit period with respect to any eligible employer is the 3-taxable-year period beginning with the first taxable year for which the employer includes an [eligible automatic contribution arrangement](/usc/26/414.md?p=w-3) (as defined in [section 414(w)(3)](/usc/26/414.md?p=w-3)) in a qualified employer plan (as defined in [section 4972(d)](/usc/26/4972.md?p=d)) sponsored by the employer.
  - (2) **Maintenance of arrangement—** No taxable year with respect to an employer shall be treated as occurring within the credit period unless the arrangement described in [paragraph (1)](#b-1) is included in the plan for such year.
- (c) **Eligible employer—** For purposes of this section, the term “eligible employer” has the meaning given such term in [section 408(p)(2)(C)(i)](/usc/26/408.md?p=p-2-C-i).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 116–94, div. O, title I, § 105(a), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 3148.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section applicable to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 2019, see section 105(d) of Pub. L. 116–94, set out as an Effective Date of 2019 Amendment note under section 38 of this title.