401(k) Specialist Podcast

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 some key findings from a new report by the Allianz Center for the Future of Retirement, part of Allianz...

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 retirement plan space. Will Prest, Managing Partner for KWP Growth Partners and Lisa Kottler , KWP’s...

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 and shifting economic conditions, value investing remains a compelling strategy for long-term retireme...

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 firms. Glynn joins the 401(k) Specialist Pod(k)ast to talk about the transition, the recent summit , why adv...

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 direct seller and writer of surety bonds, joins the 401(k) Specialist Podcast to address why plan sponsors...

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 believes the young and growing company is uniquely positioned to deliver true financial integration for...

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 savings. For insight on what this could mean when it comes to the retirement industry, we check in with Eric...

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 unfairly stripped many low-income government and public workers of the benefits they deserve. But did they...

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 about four 2025 retirement trends he anticipates will impact the workplace retirement plan market next y...

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 Pod(k)ast , we talk with Greg Jenkins , Managing Director and Head of Institutional Defined Contribution...

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 key outcomes and compliance concerns. He also provides expert guidance on plan terminations and offers i...

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 either offer a plan or have employees opted-in to a state-run auto-IRA program, the time has never been bet...

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 Retirement Strategist at Boston-based MFS, elaborates on some of the most impactful findings and explores...

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 speak with Matt Brill, CFA, Head of North America Investment Grade Credit and Senior Portfolio Manager...

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 Contribution Distribution at Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, to explore the importance of po...

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 challenges presented by annuities in 401(k) plans. And click here to check out a recent blog post from Itami...

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 retirement solutions and research have evolved over the years, what’s behind a host of recent innovation...

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 to effectively manage risks, generate sustainable income, and ensure financial security throughout ret...

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 for the Invesco Comstock Fund since 2007, apply a unique contrarian approach and classic value investing...

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 harder to avoid enrolling in the plan in the first place. Marc Howell and Felix Okwaning, who are both M...

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 financial advisor and host of both the Retirement Revealed Podcast and Mr. Retirement YouTube channel , joins the 401(k) Specialist Pod(k)ast to discuss the most c...

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 Schlichter Bogard LLC and a well-known pioneer of retirement plan excessive fee litigation, visits the 401(k) Specialist Pod(k)ast to share some important insights on...

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 co-founder and president of Devenir Research Eric Remjeske, who is also a co-author of the semi-annual Devenir HSA Marketplace Research Report, recognized as the...

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 Reish Esquire, Partner at Faegre Drinker, shares his thoughts on some of the rule’s key focuses and changes, along with implementation questions and potential h...

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 research on this trend, and there are some compelling reasons to believe this type of solution could gain some serious traction in the coming years. Jason Kephart,...