401(k) Specialist Podcast
by 401(k) Specialist Magazine
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
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Leveraging the 401(k): Inside Basic Capital's 'Retirement Mortgage'
What if retirement savers could use leverage to potentially build more wealth inside their 401(k)? That’s the unconventional idea behind Basic Capital’s “Retirement Mortgage,” a unique approach that brings leveraged investing into workplace retirement accounts offered by the fintech recordkeeper....
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Where Value Investing Fits in Today’s 401(k) with Invesco’s Sergio Marcheli
Growth stocks—and more recently a relatively small group of mega-cap technology companies—have dominated market attention for much of the past decade. But shifting market conditions are putting a renewed spotlight on diversification, valuations and the role value investing can play in retirement...
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Utilizing Fiduciary Support with Morningstar’s Nathan Voris
Fiduciary responsibility has always been a core part of running a retirement plan, but with continued litigation, an evolving investment landscape and changing regulatory expectations, staying on top of those responsibilities isn’t getting any easier. So how can retirement plan advisors make...
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Private Markets in 401(k)s: Wilshire’s Todd Cassler Explains Hurdles to Adoption
It’s been a little more than a year since President Trump signed an executive order seeking to expand access to alternative assets in 401(k) plans, clearing a path for private equity, private credit and other alternatives to become part of the defined contribution plan equation. But creating the...
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Rethinking Active Management for Today’s 401(k) Plans with MFS’ Jeri Savage
As market volatility, concentration risk and evolving retirement income needs reshape the defined contribution landscape, plan sponsors are taking a fresh look at the role of active management in participant portfolios. That is the subject of 401(k) Specialist’s latest “Deep Dive,” and it’s what...
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Sheri Fitts: Personal Branding a Focus at 2026 SWAY | LIVE
SWAY | LIVE, the retirement industry’s most unique annual conference—and the only one focused on helping retirement industry professionals build their personal brand—is coming to Boulder, Colorado Aug. 2-4. Event founder and organizer Sheri Fitts, the speaker, creator and catalyst at Sheri Fitts…
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Social Security's Reckoning: Dr. Jason Fichtner Explains What the New Trustees Report Means for 401(k) Savers
The recently released 2026 Social Security Trustees Report once again shortened the timeline for when the trust funds paying out benefits to more than 75 million Americans will become insolvent unless lawmakers finally step in and do something about it. To find out what the new report really…
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Attacking the Startup Plan Tax Credit Claiming Problem with Will Hackler
When retirement policymakers sought to incentivize small businesses to begin offering retirement plans in an effort to help close the coverage gap, they did so in part by creating greatly expanded federal tax credits that would offset their cost in providing those plans. But research has found...
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Exploring the Target Date Landscape with Mercer’s Preet Prashar
As part of 401(k) Specialist’s Q2 Deep Dive on target-date funds, Editor-in-Chief Brian Anderson sits down with Mercer Director of Defined Contribution Strategic Research Teams Preet Prashar to discuss the rapidly evolving TDF landscape—from market concentration and glidepath design to passive...
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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 professionals and their clients. Jessica and Hayley, who...
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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 subscription model as a low-cost, high-impact benefit...
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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 Participant Pulse Survey had some very interesting findings about...
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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 needs to evolve, we talk with techno-business leader Mahesh...
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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 today’s regulatory and litigation environment. Now serving…
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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 fiduciary risk—and be better prepared if the Department of...
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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 picture. That’s where workplace managed accounts can really...
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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 Retirement Income Summit. Meyers discusses the upcoming second...
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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 lifespans and ongoing market uncertainty. In this episode of…
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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 participant preparedness, risk tolerance, and even the basic...
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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’s Global Head of Retirement Technology, to explore how...
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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 company’s Chief Experience Officer, to explore how modern...
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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 Contribution Solutions at Invesco to explore what this potential…
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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—Enhanced Plan Design at Principal Financial GroupⓇ, share some...
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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 Leader for the Retirement Plan Services Business at Lincoln...
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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 in. To get a better idea of what private equity…
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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 while still earning a competitive yield. But recent market...
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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 Solutions Consultant at Allianz Life Insurance Company of North...
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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 and 401(k) marketing. Audio here Sheri explains what sets...
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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. The move is seen as a removal of a big regulatory roadblock...
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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, the time is ripe for innovation and growth. To help…
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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 Stubblefield, Aggregator Channel Director at Allianz, who highlights...
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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 companies that are driving innovation in the workplace...
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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 of U.S. Value Research at Invesco. With market uncertainty...
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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 a membership of over 600 advisors across roughly 200…
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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 Insurance Officer at Colonial Surety Company, a leading...
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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.” Knight explains the rationale behind the move and why she...
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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 incentives and their role in encouraging long-term…
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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 public service, with bill supporters saying the old law...
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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 Saves” research—joins the 401(k) Specialist Podcast to talk…
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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 participants, and in this episode of the 401(k) Specialist...
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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 businesses with different retirement plans merge, outlining…
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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 tax incentives for startup plans and state mandates to…
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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 Retirement Survey. Podcast Episode Player Savage, Lead...
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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 core bond and core plus bond portfolios. To find out, we...
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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 episode, we talk with Ben Thomason, Head of Defined...
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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 chimes in on ERISA at 50 before addressing compliance...
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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 solutions and investment research unit. Johnson talks about how...
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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 longer sufficient. A more holistic approach is imperative...
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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 Devin Armstrong, who have been co-lead portfolio managers…
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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 instead of making it easy to participate, making it even...
About this show
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.
Hosted by
401(k) Specialist Magazine