Plan Participant Podcast
The Plan Participant Podcast is your go to source for clear, practical education on everything related to your retirement plan. Each episode takes complex topics and makes them simple. The goal is to help every listener feel informed, confident, and in control of their financial future.
Plan Participant Podcast
Episode 1: The Hidden Room Inside Your 401(k)
In our very first episode of the Plan Participant Podcast, Dave and Heather pull back the curtain on one of the most overlooked, misunderstood, and surprisingly powerful features hidden inside many retirement plans: the Self-Directed Brokerage Window — or as we like to call it… the secret room inside your 401(k).
Most participants don’t even know it exists, yet this “hidden room” can dramatically expand your investment choices, increase customization, and help you build a retirement strategy that fits your real life. Dave and Heather break it all down with simple explanations, fun analogies, and a few laugh-out-loud moments as they explore why over 65 percent of people have never discovered this feature — and why less than 3 percent of eligible participants actually use it.
Along the way, they cover:
- Why your plan may include far more investment options than you realize
- How brokerage windows work (minus the confusing jargon)
- The real benefits, risks, and misconceptions around using one
- How engaged participants tend to see stronger long-term outcomes
- Practical steps to check whether your plan offers this hidden feature
- When it makes sense to get professional help navigating your options