When it comes to the SECURE Act 2.0's affect on businesses, here are six areas leaders of startups should consider. Photo via Pexels

In an effort to encourage more workers to save for retirement, the federal government passed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act that went into effect in December 2019, benefiting employers that established retirement plans with tax credits and providing employees with an avenue to save for retirement.

To build upon this retirement savings legislation, the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bill entitled, Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2022, by an overwhelming bipartisan majority. This bill has been nicknamed SECURE Act 2.0 because it builds on the original SECURE Act. Although the SECURE Act 2.0 is not yet a law and requires consideration by the U.S. Senate, its powerful appeal in the U.S. House of Representatives is a strong indicator of further developments to retirement savings legislation in the not-so-distant future.

While the SECURE Act 2.0 affects all businesses, it appears that startups and small businesses may have the most to gain from the legislation in its current state. Below are six areas leaders of startups and small businesses should consider.

Boosts primary goals

The SECURE Act 2.0 is designed to boost the initial efforts of phase one by focusing on additional ways to address serious concerns about the adequacy of retirement savings in the U.S workforce. While it has always been critical for employees to take more responsibility for their retirement savings, now is the time to further elevate the conversation by appealing to employers and educating workers about investing early and the power of compound interest.

When more startups and small businesses offer retirement savings plans, it lays a foundation to increase the number of plan participants and improve their financial well-being. If the bill is passed, projections indicate at least a 10 percent increase in overall employee participation, which helps move the needle in a positive direction to advance retirement savings initiatives.

Offers employer incentives

The SECURE Act 2.0 provides significant incentives for startups and small businesses establishing retirement plans by doubling tax credits and number of employees who qualify. For businesses with fewer than 50 employees, the current tax credit is equal to 50 percent of administrative costs, with an annual cap of $5,000, for three years. However, the SECURE Act 2.0 would increase this to 100 percent for companies with up to 50 employees. It also creates a new credit that allows smaller employers to offset what they contribute to the plan, up to $1,000 per participant. This additional credit is available in full to employers with 50 or fewer employees, and a partial credit is available for employers with 51 to 100 employees. Penalties for some reporting mistakes will also be decreased, helping businesses avoid a negative impact on the bottom line.

Simplifies saving for employees

One of the best ways to save for retirement is through automatic payroll deductions that fund retirement accounts on a consistent basis. Many individuals are either uninformed, overlook the enrollment process, feel it is unaffordable or have other priorities. The SECURE Act 2.0 simplifies saving for employees by requiring employers that establish new plans to automatically enroll new hires in the plans at a pretax contribution level of three percent of their pay. The levels would escalate one percent annually up to at least 10 percent; however, they cannot exceed 15 percent of pay. There are some exceptions, including for small businesses with 10 or fewer employees. Although employees have the option to opt out of the program, in theory, it is simpler to remain enrolled, which can lead to increased financial security.

Appeals to multiple generations

With at least four generations currently in the workforce, employees are at different stages on their road to retirement, so the SECURE Act 2.0 takes the various groups into consideration. With older employees remaining in the workforce longer, the bill raises the age for required minimum distributions from 72-75 based on a phased approach. In addition, for employees aged 62-64, the catch-up contributions would be increased to $10,000 starting in 2024. However, starting in 2023, all catch-up contributions – affecting everyone age 50 and older – would have to be made to Roth accounts allowing the money to be taxed sooner. The benefit of Roth accounts is that distributions are tax-free.

The SECURE Act 2.0 provides the statutory basis for employers to match contributions for student loan debts based on employees’ student loan payments, even if employees are not making retirement contributions, which helps younger employees consumed with student loan debt continue to pay off loans, while getting retirement accounts started. It also addresses the influx of more long-term, part-time workers with at least 500 hours of service a year, by reducing the eligibility period for them to participate in a retirement plan from three consecutive years to two years, which is effective in 2023. With a broad appeal, startups and small businesses can rest assured that implementing a retirement plan will make a difference and benefit all workers.

Attracts and retains talent

When startups and small businesses evaluate their employee benefits, more weight is typically placed on providing health care benefits, as opposed to retirement plans, so they lag behind larger companies that offer 401(k) plans. As the competition for talent continues, smaller companies should consider establishing retirement plans to attract and retain top performers and gain a more competitive advantage. Through the SECURE Act 2.0, startups and small businesses would receive incentives to help level the playing field, so now is the time to develop a strategy and be prepared if/when the bill is passed.

Requires professional assistance 

Based on the current timeline, employers have roughly eight months to prepare, so it is vital to take the proper steps for their businesses. Establishing a 401(k) plan can be complicated and overwhelming for leaders at startups and small businesses, especially given their limited time and resources. Leaders should seek professional assistance rather than try it on their own for numerous reasons, including investment selection, fiduciary liability and payroll integration.

While providers such as banks, attorneys, accountants, insurance brokers and investment advisors may suffice, it is likely more efficient and cost effective to enlist a full-service HR provider that seamlessly handles HR administration and payroll processing, employee benefits, retirement services and more for a comprehensive approach to supporting startups and small businesses.

As startups and small businesses look for ways to move their companies forward, they should consider the benefits of establishing a 401(k) plan that not only attracts and retains top talent, but also helps to instill a greater sense of financial responsibility and well-being for the future of American families.

------

John Stanton is vice president of retirement services operations with Houston-based Insperity.

Ad Placement 300x100
Ad Placement 300x600

CultureMap Emails are Awesome

2 Houston universities declared among world’s best in 2026 rankings

Declaring the Best

Two Houston universities are in a class of their own, earning top spots on a new global ranking of the world's best universities.

Rice University and University of Houston are among the top 1,200 schools included in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Ten more schools across Texas make the list.

QS (Quacquarelli Symonds), a London-based provider of higher education data and analytics, compiles the prestigious list each year; the 2026 edition includes more than 1,500 universities from around the world. Factors used to rank the schools include academic reputation; employer reputation; faculty-student ratio; faculty research; and international research, students, and faculty.

In Texas, University of Texas at Austin lands at No. 1 in the state, No. 20 in the U.S., and No. 68 globally.

Houston's Rice University is close behind as Texas' No. 2 school. It ranks 29th in the U.S. and No. 119 in the world. Unlike UT, which fell two spots globally this year (from No. 66 to 68), Rice climbed up the charts, moving from 141st last year to No. 119.

University of Houston impresses as Texas' 4th highest-ranked school. It lands at No. 80 in the U.S. and No. 556 globally, also climbing about 100 spots up the chart.

Rice and UH are on a roll in regional, national, and international rankings this year.

Rice earned top-15 national rankings by both Niche.com and Forbes last fall. Rice claimed No. 1 and UH ranked No. 8 in Texas in U.S. News & World Report's 2025 rankings. Rice also topped WalletHub's 2025 list of the best colleges and universities in Texas for 2025.

More recently, in April, both UH and Rice made U.S. News' 2025 list of top grad schools.

In all, 192 U.S. universities made the 2026 QS World University Rankings — the most of any country. Topping the global list is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

“The results show that while U.S. higher education remains the global leader, its dominance is increasingly challenged by fast-rising emerging systems,” says the QS World University Rankings report. “A decade ago, 32 American universities [were] featured in the world’s top 100; today, that number has dropped to 26, and only 11 of these institutions have improved their position this year."

The 12 Texas universities that appear in the QS World University Rankings 2026 list are:

  • University of Texas at Austin, No. 20 in the U.S. and No. 68 in the world (down from No. 66 last year).
  • Rice University, No. 29 in the U.S. and No. 119 in the world (up from No. 141 last year).
  • Texas A&M University, No. 32 in the U.S. and No. 144 in the world (up from No. 154 last year).
  • University of Houston, No. 80 in the U.S. and No. 556 in the world (up from 651-660 last year).
  • University of Texas at Dallas, No. 85 in the U.S. and No. 597 in the world (down from 596 last year).
  • Texas Tech University, No. 104 in the U.S. and No. 731-740 in the world (unchanged from last year).
  • University of North Texas, No. 123 in the U.S. and No. 901-950 in the world (up from 1,001-1,200 last year)
  • Baylor University, tied for No. 136 in the U.S. and at No. 1,001-1,200 in the world (unchanged from last year).
  • Southern Methodist University, tied for No. 136 in the U.S. and at 1,001-1,200 in the world (unchanged from last year).
  • University of Texas Arlington, tied for No. 136 in the U.S. and at 1,001-1,200 in the world (unchanged from last year).
  • University of Texas at San Antonio, tied for No. 136 in the U.S. and at 1,001-1,200 in the world (unchanged from last year).
  • University of Texas at El Paso, No. 172 in the U.S. and at 1,201-1,400 in the world (down from 1,001-1,200 last year).
---

This article originally appeared on CultureMap.com.

Houston students develop new device to prepare astronauts for outer space

space race

Rice University students from the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing designed a space exercise harness that is comfortable, responsive, and adaptable and has the potential to assist with complex and demanding spacewalks.

A group of students—Emily Yao, Nikhil Ashri, Jose Noriega, Ben Bridges and graduate student Jack Kalicak—mentored by assistant professor of mechanical engineering Vanessa Sanchez, modernized harnesses that astronauts use to perform rigorous exercises. The harnesses are particularly important in preparing astronauts for a reduced-gravity space environment, where human muscles and bones atrophy faster than they do on Earth. However, traditional versions of the harnesses had many limitations that included chafing and bruising.

The new harnesses include sensors for astronauts to customize their workouts by using real-time data and feedback. An additional two sensors measure astronauts’ comfort and exercise performance based on temperature and humidity changes during exercise and load distribution at common pressure points.

“Our student-led team addressed this issue by adding pneumatic padding that offers a customized fit, distributes pressure over a large surface area to reduce discomfort or injuries and also seamlessly adapts to load shifts — all of which together improved astronauts’ performance,” Sanchez said in a news release. “It was very fulfilling to watch these young engineers work together to find innovative and tangible solutions to real-world problems … This innovative adjustable exercise harness transforms how astronauts exercise in space and will significantly improve their health and safety during spaceflights.”

The project was developed in response to a challenge posted by the HumanWorks Lab and Life Science Labs at NASA and NASA Johnson Space Center for the 2025 Technology Collaboration Center’s (TCC) Wearables Workshop and University Challenge, where teams worked to solve problems for industry leaders.

Rice’s adaptive harness won the Best Challenge Response Award. It was funded by the National Science Foundation and Rice’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry.

“This challenge gave us the freedom to innovate and explore possibilities beyond the current harness technology,” Yao added in the release. “I’m especially proud of how our team worked together to build a working prototype that not only has real-world impact but also provides a foundation that NASA and space companies can build and iterate upon.”

Houston hospital performs first fully robotic heart transplant in the U.S.

robotic surgery

A team at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, led by Dr. Kenneth Liao, successfully performed the first fully robotic heart transplant in the United States earlier this year, the Houston hospital recently shared.

Liao, a professor and chief of cardiothoracic transplantation and circulatory support at Baylor College of Medicine and chief of cardiothoracic transplantation and mechanical circulatory support at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, used a surgical robot to implant a new heart in a 45-year-old male patient through preperitoneal space in the abdomen by making small incisions.

The robotic technology allowed the medical team to avoid opening the chest and breaking the breast bone, which reduces the risk of infection, blood transfusions and excessive bleeding. It also leads to an easier recovery, according to Liao.

"Opening the chest and spreading the breastbone can affect wound healing and delay rehabilitation and prolong the patient's recovery, especially in heart transplant patients who take immunosuppressants," Liao said in a news release. "With the robotic approach, we preserve the integrity of the chest wall, which reduces the risk of infection and helps with early mobility, respiratory function and overall recovery."

The patient received the heart transplant in March, after spending about four months in the hospital due to advanced heart failure. According to Baylor, he was discharged home after recovering from the surgery in the hospital for a month without complications.

"This transplant shows what is possible when innovation and surgical experience come together to improve patient care," Liao added in the release. "Our goal is to offer patients the safest, most effective and least invasive procedures, and robotic technology allows us to do that in extraordinary ways."