The 401k Podcast with Fexingo: Employer Retirement Plans, Matching, and Long-Term Saving

In this episode of The 401k Podcast, Lucas and Luna break down the new Roth catch-up contribution rules that took effect in 2026. Under the SECURE 2.0 Act, participants aged 60 to 63 can now contribute up to $11,250 as a catch-up, but only into a Roth account if their plan offers it. The hosts explain the mechanics with a concrete example: a 62-year-old earning $150,000 who previously saved $7,500 in pre-tax catch-up may now need to navigate higher taxes today for tax-free growth. They also clarify which workers are exempt from the Roth requirement and how plan sponsors are updating their documents. This episode is essential for anyone nearing retirement who wants to avoid a surprise tax bill from their 401k catch-up contributions.

#401k #RothCatchUp #SECURE2.0 #RetirementPlanning #CatchUpContributions #Roth401k #TaxStrategy #RetirementSavings #Finance #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Podcast #LucasAndLuna #FinancialLiteracy #RetirementIncome #TaxPlanning #HR #Benefits

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Episode 64 of The 401k Podcast with Fexingo digs into the SECURE 2.0 changes to catch-up contributions that took effect in January 2026. Lucas and Luna break down the new rules: starting at age 60, the catch-up limit jumps to $11,250 per year for most plans, but the big shift is that all catch-ups for workers earning over $145,000 must now be made as Roth contributions. The hosts walk through a concrete example of a 62-year-old engineer earning $160,000 who could contribute $34,750 total in 2026, and explain why the Roth requirement changes the tax math for higher earners. They also cover the separate 'super catch-up' for ages 60-63 available under the new law, and discuss common pitfalls like plan adoption delays and payroll system updates. No fluff, just the numbers that matter for older savers trying to max out their retirement accounts this year.

#401k #CatchUpContributions #SECURE2Point0 #RetirementPlanning #Roth401k #EmployerPlans #TaxStrategy #Finance #PersonalFinance #RetirementSavings #IRS #CatchUpLimit #SuperCatchUp #Age60to63 #RothCatchUp #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #401kPodcast

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Episode 63 of The 401k Podcast with Fexingo dives into the often-misunderstood world of in-service withdrawals from employer retirement plans. Lucas and Luna break down the key distinctions between traditional pre-tax and Roth accounts, the age-59-and-a-half rule, and the little-known hardship withdrawal exceptions. They use a concrete example of a 45-year-old employee at a mid-sized tech firm considering a withdrawal for a down payment on a house, explaining the tax implications and penalties. The hosts also discuss the 'substantially equal periodic payments' exception and how plan documents vary by employer. By the end, listeners will understand exactly when they can access their 401k money while still employed and the hidden costs of doing so. This episode is essential for anyone who has wondered about tapping their retirement savings early without quitting their job.

#401k #InServiceWithdrawal #RetirementPlans #EmployerRetirement #EarlyWithdrawal #Roth401k #Traditional401k #HardshipWithdrawal #SEPP #Rule72t #RetirementSavings #TaxPenalty #PlanDocuments #Fidelity #Vanguard #Finance #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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Episode 62 of The 401k Podcast with Fexingo dives into the managed account services offered by many employer retirement plans. Lucas and Luna break down a real-world case from Vanguard's 2025 participant data: the average managed account fee is 0.30% annually, but how does that compare to a simple three-fund portfolio? They explore whether the active management, tax-loss harvesting, and rebalancing justify the cost for the typical saver. With $1.2 trillion in managed account assets as of mid-2026, this is a decision millions of workers face. Lucas argues that for most people under $250,000 in assets, a target-date fund beats a managed account on cost and simplicity. Luna challenges him with data showing managed account participants stay invested during downturns. The episode includes a light-touch donation segment and ends with a forward-looking question about the SEC's upcoming fiduciary rule for managed accounts.

#401k #ManagedAccount #Retirement #Investing #Fees #Vanguard #TargetDateFund #Indexing #FinancialWellness #Fiduciary #SEC #TaxLossHarvesting #Rebalancing #PersonalFinance #Finance #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #RetirementPlanning

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Lucas and Luna explore the self-directed brokerage account (SDBA) option inside 401k plans. Many participants don't realize they can invest beyond the plan's core menu — into individual stocks, ETFs, or even alternative assets. But with freedom comes risk: trading costs, cash drag, and the lure of performance-chasing. They walk through a real example: a Fidelity-managed plan where the average SDBA user underperformed the default target-date fund by about 1.5 percentage points annually after fees, according to a 2024 Cerulli Associates study. They also discuss when an SDBA makes sense — for example, if you want a low-cost ETF not offered in the core lineup — and when it's a trap. Tune in to decide if your plan's brokerage window is an opportunity or a distraction.

#SelfDirectedBrokerageAccount #401kPlan #BrokerageWindow #RetirementInvesting #Fidelity #CerulliAssociates #TargetDateFund #IndividualStocks #ETFs #InvestmentFees #CashDrag #PerformanceChasing #PlanSponsor #ERISA #ParticipantEducation #Finance #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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Lucas and Luna uncover a quiet risk hiding in millions of 401k accounts: a missing or outdated beneficiary designation. They walk through what happens when a plan participant dies without naming a beneficiary — the default payout order, probate delays, and potential tax surprises for spouses and non-spouse heirs. Lucas cites data from a 2025 recordkeeper survey showing roughly 30% of participants haven't updated beneficiaries since account opening. They discuss the SECURE Act's impact on inherited retirement accounts, the ten-year rule, and why naming a trust as beneficiary requires careful coordination with plan documents. Luna shares a real-world example of a client whose ex-spouse remained the listed beneficiary years after divorce — and what it cost the current family. Practical steps: check your plan's beneficiary form every three years or after any major life event, and remember that the plan's default rules override your will in most cases. No scaremongering, just a focused look at a paperwork detail that can have outsized consequences.

#401k #Beneficiary #EstatePlanning #InheritedIRA #SECUREAct #RetirementPlanning #Probate #SpousalBeneficiary #TenYearRule #RecordkeeperSurvey #Finance #PersonalFinance #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #LucasAndLuna #The401kPodcast #RetirementAccounts #TaxPlanning

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In this episode of The 401k Podcast, Lucas and Luna explain the often-overlooked forfeiture account inside employer retirement plans. When employees leave before they are fully vested, their unvested employer contributions go into a forfeiture pool, which can be used to pay plan expenses, reduce future employer contributions, or even fund profit-sharing. Using a real-world example of a mid-sized company with a 6% match and a typical vesting schedule, the hosts walk through how forfeitures accumulate and how they impact participants. They also cover the regulatory rules under ERISA, the annual disclosure requirements, and why participants should care about forfeiture balances. This episode is timely for the June 2026 open enrollment season as more plans review their fiduciary obligations around forfeiture usage. No prior episode has tackled this specific mechanism, making it a fresh angle for savers wanting to understand all the moving parts of their 401k.

#401k #RetirementPlans #ForfeitureAccount #EmployerMatch #Vesting #ERISA #PlanFees #Fiduciary #OpenEnrollment #ProfitSharing #PlanSponsor #ParticipantEducation #Finance #RetirementSaving #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #The401kPodcast #June2026

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In this episode of The 401k Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore the rise of financial wellness programs embedded within employer 401k plans. They focus on a specific case: how a midsize manufacturing company, Acme Industries, integrated a financial wellness platform that included student loan counseling, emergency savings accounts, and personalized budgeting tools. Lucas walks through the data: within two years, the plan's average deferral rate rose from 4.2% to 7.1%, and participation among employees under 30 jumped by nearly 40%. Luna questions whether these programs can truly address systemic financial stress or just shift responsibility onto employees. They discuss the regulatory landscape under the SECURE 2.0 Act and what plan sponsors should look for when evaluating vendors. The show also includes a brief, organic mention of listener support at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo.

#401k #FinancialWellness #RetirementSavings #EmployeeBenefits #StudentLoans #EmergencySavings #SECURE2Act #PlanSponsor #AcmeIndustries #DeferralRate #WorkplaceFinance #LucasAndLuna #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Finance #PersonalFinance #RetirementPlanning #FinancialLiteracy

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In this episode of The 401k Podcast, Lucas and Luna dig into the details of 401k vesting schedules. Lucas explains the difference between cliff vesting and graded vesting, using a concrete example of a company with a three-year graded schedule. He walks through how much an employee actually owns of their employer match after one, two, and three years. Luna asks whether changing jobs resets the vesting clock and what happens to unvested balances. The episode also covers how the SECURE 2.0 Act's three-year cliff vesting requirement for new safe harbor plans starting in 2026 changes the landscape. Lucas emphasizes that vesting only applies to employer contributions, not your own deferrals. This is a practical guide for anyone trying to decide whether to stay at a job until they are fully vested.

#401kVesting #CliffVesting #GradedVesting #EmployerMatch #SECURE2Point0 #RetirementPlans #JobHopping #UnvestedBalance #FiduciaryDuty #PlanSponsor #HR #PersonalFinance #RetirementSaving #EmployeeBenefits #LucasAndLuna #The401kPodcast #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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Episode 56 explains auto-portability — the feature that automatically moves your 401k balance from an old job to a new one when you change employers. Lucas and Luna walk through how the Retirement Clearing House and Portability Services Network enable this, why it matters for the 24 million forgotten 401k accounts, and what it means if your plan offers it. They also discuss the SECURE 2.0 provisions that encourage auto-portability and how to opt out if you prefer to manage the rollover yourself.

#AutoPortability #401k #RetirementPlans #SECURE2 #RetirementClearingHouse #PortabilityServicesNetwork #JobChange #Rollover #Forgotten401k #PlanFiduciary #EmployerRetirement #Finance #PersonalFinance #RetirementSavings #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #LucasAndLuna #The401kPodcast

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