Breaking Down the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’: 2025 Retirement Proposals and Their Impact

CFP® Board In The News

Washington is once again revisiting retirement reform — and the latest proposal, dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill' by its bipartisan sponsors, could have a significant impact on retirement planning for millions of Americans.

What’s in the Bill?

  • Increased catch-up contributions for workers aged 60 and older.
  • Expanded access to Roth accounts across employer-sponsored plans.
  • New incentives for small businesses to offer 401(k) plans, including startup credits and simplified filing requirements.
  • Automatic enrollment requirements for new retirement plans.
  • Provisions to allow student loan payments to qualify for employer retirement matches.

What CFP® Professionals Should Watch

  • 1 Implementation Timelines: Some provisions could take effect in 2026 — planning ahead with clients will be critical.
  • 2 Communication Strategies: Advisors should proactively inform clients about how the changes may affect contribution limits, taxes, and plan choices.
  • 3 Small Business Clients: Those advising business owners will want to explore new plan options and tax incentives.

Positioning Yourself as a Trusted Resource

This legislation is still in committee, but now is the time to prepare. Whether the bill passes in full or in part, clients will turn to their CFP® professionals to make sense of the implications.

Stay informed. Review bill summaries from trusted industry sources and the full legislative text once available.

Sources

  1. U.S. Senate Finance Committee. 2025 Retirement Reform Proposal.
    https://www.finance.senate.gov/legislation/details/2025-big-beautiful-bill-summary
  2. ThinkAdvisor. Advisors React to New Bipartisan Retirement Legislation.
    https://www.thinkadvisor.com/2025/11/10/bipartisan-retirement-bill-big-beautiful/
  3. CNBC. What’s in the Latest Retirement Reform Proposal?
    https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/10/retirement-bill-big-beautiful-2025-details.html
  4. Financial Planning. Big Beautiful Bill: What Advisors Need to Know.
    https://www.financial-planning.com/news/2025-retirement-bill-summary-analysis
Posted in CFP in the News

About Shawn Janes