One of the key decisions in the development of a state-facilitated retirement savings program is whether to require employers to participate if they don’t already have some type of qualifying plan available for their employees. Making a program voluntary for employers can look like the easier path to legislative success. On the other hand, employer-voluntary approaches have so far shown limited uptake and use.

This week, we think you know who our Valentine is. It’s ❤ You ❤. Leaning forward, we hope you have a lovely, fun-filled weekend. Spread some joy around.

What’s on deck today? We think you’ll like these:

• The First 15 Years - David John on Auto IRAs

• New! state Auto IRA metrics

• Updates from Wisconsin, Colorado, New Jersey, Arkansas, Iowa, and California

• Grant's Go-To's: big decisions - program model!

• Hot Sauce: Transamerica, Masterclass, and the National Portrait Gallery, and

• Whew! Pix of the Week

States standing up retirement security programs face lots of design decisions. The biggest one - which model to use! Marketplace, MEP or Auto IRA - they’ve all got their appealing features. Focusing on your specific intended outcomes helps.