401(k) Specialist Podcast

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 annual Nestimate Retirement Income Summit, shares insights on new initiatives at Nestimate—including its recently launched TDF-IQ analytics ...

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 the 401(k) Specialist Pod(k)ast, Editor-in-Chief Brian Anderson sits down with Danielle Kelso, Senior Institutional Solutions Consultant at A...

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 functionality of common retirement products.

To break down the results of the 12th Annual National Retirement Survey and shed light on wha...

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 innovation is making retirement advice more personalized, scalable, and impactful.

Allen shares insights on how Morningstar turns ideas into ...

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 automation, integration, and design thinking are helping small businesses launch and manage 401(k) plans more efficiently than ever before.

Key I...

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 shift could mean for advisors, plan sponsors, and participants alike.

Jenkins, who works with plan sponsors, consultants and advisors on DC-re...

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 compelling new research showing employees not only stay in auto features but increasingly expect them, explore budget-friendly strategies to ...

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 Financial, joins us to explain why MVAs can catch plan sponsors off guard—especially during a recordkeeper change—and what advisors can do t...

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 investments can bring to the table, we speak with Maura Reilly Kennedy and Michelle Rappa of investment manager Neuberger Berman, a pair of highly ac...

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 conditions and interest rate changes have raised new considerations for these low-risk options.

In this episode of the 401(k) Specialist Podc...

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 America, joins the 401(k) Specialist Pod(k)ast to shed light on the changes and innovations shaping the future of retirement secur...

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 the conference apart. It focuses on helping attendees strengthen their personal brand through storytelling and human connection. Additiona...

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 that forced plan fiduciaries to exercise “extreme care” before adding crypto to 401(k) investment menus, in line with the Trump administrat...

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 unpack the challenges and opportunities in serving this critical market, we’re joined by Stan Smith, Chief of Growth at 401GO, a digital-first r...

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 Life Insurance Company of North Am...

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 Partner of Strategic Growth and Inno...

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 retirement savers. Armstrong breaks down why...

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 advisors need independent guidance, and ...

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 need to remain vigilant and have th...