401(k) Specialist Podcast
Business & Finance
About
401(k) Specialist’s new biweekly podcast series “The 401(k) Specialist Pod(k)ast” provides retirement and 401(k) advisors with tips and strategies to optimize their business and outperform for their clients. High-profile pundits and personalities engage in smart discussions of relevant topics to educate, inform and entertain listeners.
Episodes
- The 401k Girls Are Making Financial Planning Actually Fun
In this episode, Jessica Porter and Hayley Porter, financial planners at BPG Wealth Management, speak to 401(k) Specialist about the 401(k) Girls, a financial education platform aiming to make financial wellness accessible and exciting for…
- How GigMatch Creates Retirement Hope: George Fraser
Advisor Insights Winning the Finalist Presentation: How offering a "Hope-based" engagement model like GigMatch differentiates you from advisors stuck in "Fear-based" messaging Reducing Financial Stress for Sponsors: Leveraging the $5/month…
- What Participants Really Think with Invesco’s Greg Jenkins
There’s a lot of increased attention about adding private markets investments to 401(k) plans in the wake of President Trump’s 2025 Executive Order on alternatives, and participants are starting to take notice. Invesco’s recent DC Particip…
- Modernizing Retirement Plan Infrastructure with Congruent Solutions’ Mahesh Natarajan
Much of the technology infrastructure that powers the workplace retirement plan industry could use an update to improve on old legacy systems to better serve the needs of today’s 401(k) participants. To learn more about how and why it need…
- How Not to Get Sued: Fred Reish on Fiduciary Risk in 2026
In this special edition of the 401(k) Specialist Podcast —part of our Deep Dive series on “How Not to Get Sued”—Editor-in-Chief Brian Anderson sits down with legendary ERISA attorney Fred Reish to examine how fiduciary risk is evolving in…
- How Not to Get Sued: Lessons from ERISA Expert Witness Eric Dyson
Eric Dyson, Executive Director of 90 North Consulting and one of the retirement industry’s more active ERISA expert witnesses, joins the 401(k) Specialist Podcast for a practical conversation on how plan sponsors and advisors can reduce fi…
- What Participants Really Want from Managed Accounts with Fidelity’s Lorianne Pannozzo
As retirement planning strives to become more personalized, plan sponsors are under increasing pressure to offer solutions that meet participants where they are—not just by age or account balance, but by considering their full financial pi…
- Previewing the Nestimate Retirement Income Summit with Kelby Meyers
In the first new 401(k) Specialist Pod(k)ast episode of 2026, Editor-in-Chief Brian Anderson sits down with Kelby Meyers, founder and CEO of Nestimate , to explore the evolving landscape of in-plan retirement income and the Nestimate Retir…
- Measuring Retirement Income Outcomes: Allianz Life’s Danielle Kelso
Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America’s latest white paper takes a deep look at how different retirement income strategies—and especially various types of annuity products—can shape participant outcomes in a world of longer lifes…
- Glenn Dial of American Century Investments on Why Sponsors and Participants See Retirement Risks So Differently
A recent survey from American Century Investments reveals some surprising disconnects between retirement plan sponsors and the workers participating in their 401(k) plans. The findings uncovered some sizable gaps in how each group views pa…
- Technology and the Future of Retirement Planning with Morningstar Retirement’s Michael Allen
Retirement technology is rapidly transforming the way advisors and plan sponsors deliver planning advice. In this episode of the 401(k) Specialist Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Brian Anderson sits down with Michael Allen, Morningstar Retirement…
- Technology and the Small Plan Market with 401GO’s Sue Hardy and Cheryl Morrison Deutsch
Technology is transforming the small-plan retirement market—and fast. In this episode of the 401(k) Specialist Podcast , we sit down with Sue Hardy , Head of Plan Operations at Sandy, Utah-based 401GO , and Cheryl Morrison Deutsch , the co…
- Private Markets and 401(k)s: Invesco’s Greg Jenkins on What Comes Next
Private markets are trying to make a move from the margins to the mainstream in workplace retirement plans—and the implications could be enormous. In this episode, we sit down with Greg Jenkins, CFA, Managing Director of Defined Contributi…
- Challenging Common Beliefs About Automated Plan Features with Principal Financial Group’s Marc Howell and Felix Okwaning
Automated plan features in 401(k)s such as auto-enrollment and auto-escalation have become essential tools for boosting employee participation and contribution levels. Marc Howell and Felix Okwaning, who are both Managing Directors—Enhance…
- Managing Market Value Adjustments with Lincoln Financial’s Bill McLaren
In this episode of the 401(k) Specialist Podcast , we dive into the complex world of Market Value Adjustments (MVAs)—what they are, when they’re triggered, how they’re calculated, and why they matter. Bill McLaren, Stable Value Business Le…
- Private Equity’s Potential to Help 401(k) Participants with Maura Reilly Kennedy and Michelle Rappa
Even with regulatory barriers to including alternative assets such as private equity in defined contribution plans being removed by the Trump administration, many advisors, plan sponsors and fiduciaries are understandably hesitant to jump…
- Stable Value Funds: Balancing Safety and Opportunity with Lincoln Financial’s Matt Condos
Stable value funds are a staple in many 401(k) plans , offering principal protection and steady returns by investing in high-quality bonds. They’re particularly popular with participants nearing retirement who want to reduce market risk wh…
- Defining Value Creation in the Decumulation Phase with Allianz Life's Danielle Kelso
As retirement plan participants transition from the accumulation phase to decumulation, the focus moves from building wealth to ensuring sustainable income—what’s also known as "value creation." Danielle Kelso, Senior Institutional Solutio…
- Previewing SWAY | LIVE 2025 with Sheri Fitts
The third edition of the retirement industry’s least traditional conference is coming up Aug. 3–5 in Milwaukee, Wis. To get the low-down, we spoke with organizer Sheri Fitts, a well-known expert in personal branding for financial advisors…
- Knut A. Rostad: Why EBSA Crypto Guidance Reversal is 'Absolutely Awful Decision'
Recently the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employee Benefits Security Administration announced that it has rescinded its 2022 guidance that discouraged retirement plan fiduciaries from including cryptocurrency investments in 401(k) plans. Th…
- Unlocking SMB Market Success with 401GO’s Stan Smith
One of the most promising—and rapidly evolving—segments of the retirement plan industry is the small- to medium-sized business (SMB) market. With a wave of government incentives and employee expectations for workplace benefits on the rise,…
- Exploring Guaranteed Income in DC Plan Trends with Allianz Life’s Matt Stubblefield
The integration of guaranteed lifetime income solutions into workplace retirement plans remains a hot topic among plan advisors, sponsors and participants. To get an idea of the current state of these efforts, we talk with Matt Stubblefiel…
- Creating the 'Next-Gen 401(k) Report' with KWP Growth Partners’ Will Prest and Lisa Kottler
The inaugural "Next-Gen 401(k) Report" from KWP Growth Partners is being released on April 8, unveiling a dozen transformative trends that are shaping the future of retirement plans, putting the spotlight on 60 leading digital-forward comp…
- Large-Cap Value Investing in 401(k) Plans with Invesco’s Devin Armstrong
In this episode, we explore how large-cap value investing fits into a well-structured 401(k) plan investment menu with the help of Devin Armstrong, co-lead manager of the Invesco Comstock Fund, who is Senior Portfolio Manager and Director…
- Taking the Reins at Viking Cove Institute: New President Amy Glynn
It was announced at the start of the recent Viking Cove Institute 2025 Industry Leaders Summit that well-known retirement industry veteran Amy Glynn would be taking the reins as President at the unique independent organization that boasts…
- 401(k) Forfeiture Lawsuits and SECURE 2.0 compliance with Richard Clarke
The “flavor of the month” in retirement plan ERISA lawsuits seems to be 401(k) forfeiture reallocation cases, where employers are accused of using forfeited funds to benefit the company instead of plan participants. Richard Clarke, Chief I…
- Holly Knight’s High-Profile Move to Alera Group
High-profile retirement plan advisor Holly Knight joins the 401(k) Specialist Podcast in this episode to discuss her recent move from NFP to Alera Group, where she is in the newly created role of “Director of Retirement Advisor Services.”…
- Protecting the Rights of Retirement Investors with ICI Leader Eric J. Pan
A second Trump Administration, coupled with new leadership at the SEC and Department of Labor, brings the potential for significant changes in the regulatory environment in Washington, including discussions that could impact retirement tax…
- Andrew Biggs Rips Congress for Social Security 'Fairness' Act
The Social Security Fairness Act was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Jan. 6 thanks to strong bipartisan support. The intent was to provide greater retirement security and “fairness” to people who have dedicated their careers to p…
- 4 DC Trends to Watch for in 2025 with Vanguard’s Jeff Clark
With the new year quickly approaching, it’s a good time to think about some of the key trends to watch out for in 2025. Vanguard Head of Defined Contribution Research Jeff Clark—who is the author of the company’s popular “ How America Save…
- How to Better Reach 401(k) Participants with Invesco's Greg Jenkins
t’s always important for retirement plan advisors to know the primary concerns and interests of 401(k) participants in order to be able to communicate with them effectively. Invesco recently conducted some new research on the mindset of pa…
- How Company Mergers Affect Retirement Plans with Inspira’s Pete Welsh
In this episode, we sit down with Pete Welsh, Managing Director of Retirement and Wealth at Inspira Financial, to explore the complexities of company mergers and their impact on retirement plans. Welsh sheds light on what happens when busi…
- Opportunity in the SMB Market with Principal Financial Group’s Sean Jordan
The small to mid-size business retirement plan market is a key growth opportunity for advisors who are looking to expand their client base and provide much-needed benefit solutions to a traditionally underserved segment. With all the new t…
- The Road to Better Retirement Outcomes with MFS' Jeri Savage
In this episode of the 401(k) Specialist Podcast , we’ll travel down the road to better participant outcomes with MFS Investment Management’s Jeri Savage, who will direct us through the key insights from the newly released 2024 MFS Global…
- Highlighting Fixed Income Opportunities with Invesco’s Matt Brill
Since the rapid rise in interest rates over the past few years, fixed income has come back into the spotlight. As the Federal Reserve begins cutting interest rates, retirement plan advisors might now be wondering how this shift will impact…
- Solving the Portability Puzzle with Allianz Life’s Ben Thomason
Considerable resources have been devoted to solving the challenge of portability in retirement savings over the past few years, and the stakes are high to get it right and cut down on costly an unnecessary retirement plan leakage. In this…
- Fiduciary Rule Update and ERISA at 50 with Lathrop GPM’s Allie Itami
ERISA attorney Allie Itami, Partner at Lathrop GPM in Minneapolis, joins the 401(k) Specialist Pod(k)ast to talk about the status of the Department of Labor’s beleaguered fiduciary rule in light of recent stay rulings in Texas, and also ch…
- The Past, Present and Future with Morningstar Retirement’s Brock Johnson
Morningstar Retirement President Brock Johnson joins a special 100th episode of the 401(k) Specialist Pod(k)ast to provide an inside look and share insights into the past, present and future of the comprehensive retirement planning solutio…
- Exploring Retirement Income Strategies with Joshua Grass and Todd Levy
The retirement landscape is undergoing a dramatic shift, characterized by unprecedented challenges such as increased longevity and unpredictable market conditions. Traditional retirement models centered solely on wealth accumulation are no…
- What's Behind a Remarkable 25-Year Milestone for Invesco's Kevin Holt
It’s quite rare for one person to manage a large-cap mutual fund for a consecutive span of 25 years, but that’s just what Kevin C. Holt , CFA, chief investment officer, U.S. Value Equities at Invesco, is celebrating this summer. Holt and D…
- Making 401(k) Saving Hard to Avoid with Principal’s Marc Howell and Felix Okwaning
No matter how easy plan sponsors try to make it for employees to participate in their company-sponsored 401(k) plan, too many workers still aren’t enrolling. Our guests on today have some ideas on dealing with this problem—centered on how…
- Common HSA Mistakes (and Fixes) with ‘Mr. Retirement’ Jeremy Keil
Despite offering unique tax advantages, lots of people remain unaware of health savings accounts (HSA)—and even many who are using them aren’t using them to anywhere near their full potential. Jeremy Keil, CFP, CFA, a retirement-focused fi…
- Jerry Schlichter Preps Advisors for Fiduciary Rule Changes
The DOL’s new fiduciary rule is scheduled to become effective in September, and retirement plan advisors and plan sponsors have plenty to do to prepare for the changes it will bring. Jerry Schlichter, founding and managing partner of Schli…
- Checking the Pulse of the HSA Market with Devenir’s Eric Remjeske
Health Savings Accounts can be a very effective tool not only to pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses, but also to save for retirement thanks to a unique triple tax advantage. To check in on the pulse of the HSA market, we talk with the…
- Fred Reish Unpacks the DOL’s New Fiduciary Rule
The Department of Labor released its final “Retirement Security Rule” recently, which aims to raise the legal bar for financial advisors, brokers, insurance agents and others who give retirement investment advice. Noted ERISA attorney Fred…
- Exploring the 'Annuities in TDFs' Trend with Morningstar's Jason Kephart
There’s a trend happening right now where asset managers are using a new strategy to help 401(k) plan participants manage their retirement spending: Target date funds featuring annuities. Morningstar recently did some really interesting re…
- How AI is Changing the Game with Financial Finesse’s Liz Davidson
Artificial intelligence is a hot topic everywhere these days, including the financial services industry. We check in with artificial intelligence early adopter Liz Davidson, founder and CEO of Financial Finesse, who tells us about their aw…
- Previewing the 2024 NAPA 401(k) Summit with Nevin Adams and John Sullivan
The workplace retirement plan industry’s premiere event is just days away, with top professionals set to descend upon Nashville April 7-9 for the 2024 NAPA 401(k) Summit . We get a preview of the big event from two of the key people in cha…
- Defending the 401(k) with ICI's Sarah Holden
The 401(k) has been under attack on multiple fronts lately. Between calls for eliminating their tax advantages to prop up Social Security to Bernie Sanders pining for a return to pension plans, and momentum seeming to build for the TSP-lik…
- Matt Gray & Todd Levy
Unlocking the Door to Broader Adoption of Guaranteed Lifetime Income in 401(k)s: Matt Gray and Todd Levy Guaranteed lifetime income remains a hot topic in the workplace retirement plan market and there are plenty of factors at play these d…