Advertise on podcast: The 401k Playbook

Terminated participants probably aren't the most exciting thing you'll deal with inside your 401(k) plan. Good grief, even saying "terminated participants" sounds boring. But they can create some very real problems. Former employees who leave money behind in your plan can increase your administrative workload, add costs, create additional fiduciary responsibilities, and in some cases even help push your plan into an annual audit requirement. And there's another side to this. A lot of former employees have no idea what their options are. They may leave an old 401(k) sitting somewhere for years simply because nobody ever explained what they could actually do with it. In this video, I walk through: • What a terminated participant actually is • Why old 401(k) balances can become a problem for employees • The responsibilities those accounts create for plan sponsors • How terminated participants can affect plan costs and audits • Why communication matters so much • How we approach terminated participant campaigns with our 401(k) clients The goal isn't to push somebody to move their money. It's to make sure they understand their options, know where their money is, and can make an informed decision about what they want to do with it. If you're a 401(k) plan sponsor and have questions about your plan, feel free to reach out. There's a link below to connect with our team at Ellis Retirement.

401k's are complex enough without the industry adding more complexity on top. Today we are discussing 401(k) fees and why they are becoming increasingly difficult to understand. We'll talk about how to find out what your 401(k) fees are, who is getting paid, and how.

If you've seen the 401k headlines recently, you know that the 401k industry is noisy right now. It feels like new legislation comes out daily, along with a million new tools and options that 401k plan sponsors have to choose from. Plan sponsors are overwhelmed with all of the "information." They don't know what they need to be addressing or when they need to be addressing. They also don't know who should be walking them through these scenarios to help them make informed decisions for their plan and their participants. In this episode of the 401k playbook, I talk about the state of the industry (hint: noisy) as well as how we handle this type of environment for our clients.  Whether you are an advisor in the 401k space or a 401k plan sponsor, I hope the information is helpful.  If you have any questions or simply want to connect, the easiest place to find me is on LinkedIn.

This episode dives into the question I get more than any other: How do you grow a 401(k) business? If you're entering the space or trying to get better at it, you've probably heard a lot of noise. Scripts, shortcuts, and promises that sound too good to be true. I'm not here for that. I'm sharing what actually works, where most advisors go wrong, and what you need to have in place before you worry about sales strategy. If you want to build a business that lasts, this episode is for you. Connect with me on LinkedIn if you want to talk more. And if you enjoy the show, a quick review goes a long way.

It can be extremely difficult to grow your 401k book of business. Every advisor knows what it feels like to spend hours cold calling and cold emailing only to have nothing to show for it. The dream for every advisor, in 401ks or otherwise, is to grow their business by getting referrals. But how do you get referrals? Do you need a system? Do you need to ask for them? In this episode, Grant talks about how his business evolved its growth strategy from cold prospecting to referral-based growth. It's not what you think, but it might help you refine your growth and referral process you try to grow your business.

Going to conferences can be fun, but they can also be expensive and a waste of time. Why bother spending the money and taking time away from work and family to go listen to people talk on a stage? These are good questions, and today, we'll discuss why conferences can be an important part of your journey. If you are intentional about the conferences you attend and clear about your objectives, attending a conference can be transformative for you and your business.  If you enjoy this show and are willing, I'd love for you to leave a rating and a review, and perhaps share it with friends. If you are interested in having me speak at your conference or event, please email [email protected].

As advisors (or TPA's, recordkeepers, wholesalers) we are always looking for ways to grow. We focus on prospecting and marketing techniques, which although not bad, aren't enough. Whether you are a solo advisor or lead a team of 50, your focus needs to be on scaling your business. You can grow a business and run yourself into the ground. Or you can scale a business and become profitable and efficient, both in time and money. Which one would you choose?  In this episode, we discuss what scaling is, why you want to scale, and give tactical tips for actually scaling your 401k business or practice. If you enjoy this show, please consider leaving a rating and a review. It helps other people find it. Thanks for listening!

As a 401k advisor, we are taught to sell, and there is nothing wrong with that. But how do we gain the technical knowledge we need to grow our 401k business and take care of our clients? There aren't many ways. In this episode, I discuss how you can increase your technical knowlege in several ways. I also discuss the best way, in my opinion, that is rarely talked about. If you enjoy this podcast, please leave a rating and a review so that other people can find it. Thanks for listening!

I just got back from the annual NAPA 401k Summit. It was a great conference as it is every year. Why should you go to conferences? What should you expect to get out of them? What are your expectations and how do you approach them? In this episode I talk about the conference itself, what it is and what it isn't, why I attend conferences and how I think you should approach them. I hope you enjoy. If you do like the podcast, please leave a review and/or rating. Thanks!

If you want to be a good 401k advisor, you have to know what you are doing. 401ks are some of the most complex financial instruments that exist. You want your clients to think of you as a trusted resource who can connect them with the information they need to make decisions for the benefit of them and their employees. But how do you go about doing that? In this episode, I give you 5 ways that you can deepen your 401k knowledge, learn the industry, and become the 401k expert that your clients need and want. If you like the show, feel free to rate and review it so that others can find it. Also, if you want to connect or have any questions, feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn until we get the website up and running.