IRS issues notices for a $1,000 retirement match. Here's who qualifies.

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The Internal Revenue Service is issuing notices to taxpayers stating that they may qualify for the Saver's Match, a government-funded $1,000 retirement account contribution, beginning in 2027. The program replaces the Saver's Credit, which ends on Dec. 31, 2026.

Taxpayers who previously filed for that credit are receiving a notification about the new program, which will provide a matching contribution of up to $1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for joint filers in the 2027 tax year.

The Saver's Match was created by the bipartisan SECURE 2.0 Act, which was signed into law in 2022.

"Beginning in 2027, the government will match 50% of eligible retirement contributions, up to $1,000 per person," said Brandon M. Cox, founder of Coastline Complete Wealth in Bluffton, S.C. "A married couple could receive double that, or $2,000. Unlike the current Saver's Credit, this money will go directly into a retirement account rather than simply reducing someone's tax bill."

That's a 50% boost to retirement savings, Cox added.

The Saver's Match also doesn't count against your retirement account contribution limit, said Greg Black, founder and senior wealth advisor of Tencap Wealth Coaching in Utah.

"You contribute the full amount into your IRA, plus still get the extra $1,000." And it's not a one-time match, he noted. "If you contribute $2,000 and get a 50% match, that's $1,000 of free money going into your account every single year, as long as your income fits inside those limits."

The IRS says taxpayers may qualify for the 50% match of retirement plan contributions if they:

Contribute to a retirement plan or IRA (there is no minimum contribution amount)

Are not claimed as a dependent on another person's return

The program targets households with modest incomes — "people who owe little or no federal income tax," Cox said. "Many lower-income Americans couldn't benefit from the old Saver's Credit because they didn't owe enough in taxes. Now they can."

Here's an example of how the Saver's Match works: A single tax filer, earning $19,000, contributing $1,500 to an IRA, would receive the full 50% match of $750. The Saver's Match income limits are shown below.

Saver's Match rates based on filing status and modified adjusted gross income

Married filing jointly, qualifying surviving spouse

Income limits will be adjusted for inflation in years after 2027

Even if taxpayers haven't filed for the previously offered Saver's Credit — and didn't receive the notice — they can claim the Saver's Match when filing their 2027 federal tax return in 2028, if they qualify. A new Form 8880-A will be available.

The match cannot be made in a Roth IRA, Black said; only traditional IRAs, 401(k), and 403(b) plans will be eligible. The IRS is still developing guidance on how it will deliver payments to employer-sponsored retirement plans, such as 401(k)s.

A new website, TrumpIRA.gov , debuting on Jan. 1, 2027, will provide access to low-cost IRA plans for those without a current account. Taxpayers don't have to open an IRA at the government-sponsored website to get the match, Black said.

"It's more of a marketplace or a portal that points people towards qualifying IRAs. There are plenty of low-cost IRA options out there. There are custodians who have no custodial fee. And there are low-cost ETFs and mutual funds people can invest in inside those IRAs."

Cox said that taxpayers should also be aware of the timing of the retirement plan matches.

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