If you think retirement planning is just about ticking boxes and meeting deadlines, you’re missing the bigger picture—and the real opportunity. In this episode, we sit down with industry heavyweights Will Hackler and Jason Grantz to explore how smart, intentional plan design can drive better outcomes not just for employers, but for the people who count on these plans to retire with dignity.

Will, the creator of the Integrated 401(k)™, brings decades of experience in aligning plan strategy with business goals. Jason, a nationally recognized consultant and author, specializes in turning retirement plan complexity into actionable best practices. Together, they bring clarity, candor, and a serious dose of strategy to a conversation every advisor and employer needs to hear.

This is your chance to cut through the noise, rethink your approach, and walk away with ideas you can use.

In this episode, Shannon, Will, and Jason discuss: 

• The evolving role of financial advisors and employers in shaping retirement outcomes
• Designing retirement plans that align with overall wealth-building goals
• Navigating compliance, automation, and fiduciary responsibilities in a shifting landscape
• The importance of collaboration and specialization in the retirement services ecosystem

Key Takeaways:

• Starting new 401(k) plans with automatic enrollment at 10% and building in auto-escalation not only aligns with Secure 2.0 mandates but has proven to be widely accepted by employers and highly effective in boosting long-term participant savings without resistance.
• Employers can significantly improve employee retirement outcomes—and capture tax advantages—by redirecting year-end bonuses into employer contributions, rather than distributing them as taxable cash payouts.
• Many of the most avoidable plan failures stem from not reading or adhering to the plan document, which is the legal and operational blueprint for the plan and must be regularly reviewed and followed.
• Financial advisors who lack deep retirement plan expertise are far better served—and will better serve their clients—by partnering with a specialized consultant or TPA rather than dabbling in plan design and administration, which can expose both parties to risk and subpar outcomes. 

"Someone at the company needs to take ownership in running the plan." — Will Hackler

"Retirement plans should be viewed as if they were machines. And if you don't maintain your machine, it will break." — Jason Grantz

Connect with Will Hackler and Jason Grantz: 

Website: https://integrated-pension.com/

Will’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-hackler-1936b713/

Jason’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jgrantzpensiongeek/

Connect with Shannon: 

Website: https://www.tristarpension.com/

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonedwardsplanconsultant/