WSR 25-11-036

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

DEPARTMENT OF

RETIREMENT SYSTEMS

[Filed May 14, 2025, 11:31 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: SECURE Act 2.0; Roth catch-up contributions.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: SECURE Act of 2022 (P.L. 117-328).

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Beginning in January 2026, Section 603 of the SECURE Act 2.0 requires participants who are high-wage earners under the Internal Revenue Service wage threshold to make any age 50 plus catch-up contributions on a post-tax basis through Roth instead of on a pretax basis. The department of retirement systems (DRS) must carry out rule making to align its rules with this requirement.

Process for Developing New Rule: Negotiated rule making.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Bianca Stoner, DRS, P.O. Box 48380, Olympia, WA 98504-8380, phone 360-664-7291, TTY 711, email drs.rules@drs.wa.gov, website www.drs.wa.gov/rules.

May 14, 2025

Bianca Stoner

Rules Coordinator