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Nevada Employee Savings Trust: What NEST Means for Workers and Employers

A plain-language guide to who is covered, what happens automatically, and how the state's Roth IRA retirement program works.

AARP

Published August 20, 2026

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More than 345,000 AARP members call Nevada home, and many of them work for, or run, a small business. If that is you, a state program called the Nevada Employee Savings Trust, or NEST, may already affect your paycheck or your payroll. NEST gives private-sector workers a simple, automatic way to save for retirement when their job does not offer a plan. Here is what Nevada workers and employers should know.

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What NEST Is

The Nevada Employee Savings Trust is a state-facilitated retirement savings program created by the Nevada Legislature in 2023 through Senate Bill 305 and set in Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 353D. It is administered by the Nevada State Treasury, with Vestwell State Savings as the program administrator. NEST was built for the more than 500,000 Nevadans in the private sector who do not have a way to save for retirement at work. The account is a Roth IRA that belongs to the worker, not the employer, so it goes with you from job to job.

What Nevada Workers Should Know

Automatic enrollment. Nevada workers who are at least 18 years old and have been with a participating employer for at least 120 days are enrolled automatically.
A 5 percent starting rate. The default savings rate is 5 percent of your gross pay, deducted after taxes and deposited into your own Roth IRA.
An automatic yearly increase. Your rate rises by 1 percent each January, beginning after you have been enrolled for six months, until it reaches 10 percent. You can decline the increase or change your rate at any time.
A 30-day window. You have 30 days from your notice to set your own contribution rate, pick your investments, or opt out completely. Taking part is voluntary, and you can opt out or re-enroll whenever you are ready.
The account is yours. If you change jobs, move, or leave the workforce, the money stays with you.
Low, clear fees. Accounts carry an annual asset-based fee of about 0.20 percent, or roughly $0.20 for every $100 saved, plus a $22 annual account fee charged at $5.50 per quarter and a $4 annual state fee charged at $1 per quarter.

A Roth IRA is not the right fit for everyone. If you are unsure whether NEST fits your situation, consider speaking with a tax or financial advisor before you decide.

What Nevada Employers Should Know

Who must facilitate NEST. Businesses with six or more Nevada employees that have operated for at least 36 months and do not offer a qualified retirement plan are required to take part.
Already offer a plan? Employers that provide a qualified plan, such as a 401(k), 403(b), SIMPLE IRA, or SEP, or that offer one through a chamber of commerce or trade association, can certify their exemption online using their access code and EIN.
No cost, no match, no liability. There are no fees or administrative costs to the employer. Employer matching is not allowed, and employers carry no fiduciary responsibility for employees' investment choices or account outcomes.
What the employer does. Register on the NEST portal with your access code, set up payroll deductions for enrolled workers after the opt-out period, and submit contributions regularly. NEST and its administrator handle enrollment, investments, and payouts.
Registration is open now. The registration deadline for covered employers was September 1, 2025. Registration remains open, and businesses that have not yet registered or certified an exemption should act now. NEST notifies newly eligible businesses directly when it is time to register.

How to Get Started

Nevada workers can review the program, customize an account, or opt out at https://nest.nv.gov/savers/program-details. Employers can register or certify an exemption at https://nest.nv.gov/employers. General program information is at https://nest.nv.gov. Saver assistance is available at 1-833-854-1871, and employer assistance is available at 1-833-359-4300.

How AARP Nevada Can Help

AARP Nevada works to help everyone 50 and older build long-term financial security, and understanding options like NEST is part of that. For more about AARP Nevada's financial security work, contact aarpnv@aarp.org.

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