401(k) Specialist

What 401(k) Specialist does

401(k) Specialist is a B2B digital news publication serving the U.S. retirement plan industry, operated by 401(k) Properties LLC from Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Founded in 2015, the publication targets retirement plan advisors, plan sponsors, and retirement industry vendors with coverage spanning 401(k) regulations, fiduciary standards, product intelligence, SECURE legislation, Social Security, and practice management. Its core product is a WordPress-based digital magazine (401kspecialistmag.com) supplemented by a free thrice-weekly email newsletter powered by ActiveCampaign, the Pod(k)ast audio/video podcast, Deep Dive research content, a dedicated SECURE 3.0 regulatory tracker, and sponsored thought leadership sections (Leaders Speak, Sponsored Articles). The publication also offers an "Ask AI" chatbot feature powered by the third-party Direqt platform, enabling users to query retirement-related content directly on the site.

The company monetizes primarily through advertising and sponsorships sold to retirement industry vendors, including display advertising and dedicated sponsored content placements. The newsletter is distributed free of charge three times per week, and pricing for advertising or sponsorship opportunities is not publicly disclosed. Distribution is digital-only — website, email, podcast platforms, and social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, X, YouTube) — with no print or physical product. The company has a minor media partnership with SWAY | LIVE, a personal-branding conference for retirement advisors.

401(k) Specialist is a privately held LLC with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, management team details, or revenue figures. Headcount is reported at 11-50 employees, and content archive depth (474+ pages in the practice section alone) suggests a decade of continuous editorial output. The publication's competitive position rests on its specialized editorial focus on the 401(k) market, multi-format content distribution, and established relationships with the retirement plan advisor community and the vendors that advertise to them.

Name

401(k) Specialist

Legal name

401(k) Properties LLC

Website

https://401kspecialistmag.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

401(k) Specialist is a B2B digital news publication covering the U.S. 401(k) retirement plan industry, serving financial advisors, plan sponsors, and retirement vendors through articles, a free thrice-weekly newsletter, podcast, and sponsored content.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retirement Industry Trade Media

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Retirement & Pension Planning (401(k)/IRA) (FSAEAAAD)

Keywords

• Trade publication services
• Retirement industry news
• B2B financial media
• Sponsored content publishing
• Regulatory news coverage

Headquarters

HQ city

Highlands Ranch

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Advertising & Sponsorships: Third-party advertising displayed on the publication, including display ads and sponsored content sections such as Leaders Speak and Sponsored Articles. Third-party advertisers include SWAY | LIVE, MFS Investment Management, and other retirement industry vendors.
2. Newsletter Subscriptions: Free email newsletter delivered three times per week to retirement plan advisors, providing breaking regulatory news, fiduciary coverage, product intelligence, and practice management insights.
3. Sponsored Content & Thought Leadership: Sponsored articles, industry white papers, and thought leadership placements featuring retirement industry partners and vendors targeting advisor audiences.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

401(k) Specialist is a digital-first B2B trade media publication that delivers news, regulatory updates, and practice management analysis to U.S. retirement plan advisors. Its product set spans the main digital magazine, the Pod(k)ast audio program, a thrice-weekly free email newsletter, Deep Dive in-depth research, dedicated SECURE 3.0 legislative coverage, and paid Leaders Speak / Sponsored Articles placements for retirement industry vendors.

Product overview

401(k) Specialist is a digital news publication/magazine for retirement plan advisors offering a platform of content products. The core offering is the digital publication delivering news on regulations, fiduciary standards, 401(k) products, and SECURE legislation. Supporting content products include the Pod(k)ast podcast, a thrice-weekly email newsletter, Deep Dive research content, a SECURE 3.0 regulatory tracker, and a Thought Leaders sponsored content section. An AI-powered 'Ask AI' chatbot feature enables users to query published content. The publication is operated by 401(k) Properties LLC based in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pod(k)ast: The publication's podcast covering news, insights, and analysis on trends, products, and policy shaping the retirement plan industry.

Products and services

• 401(k) Specialist Digital Publication A digital news publication providing breaking news, regulatory updates, and industry analysis for retirement plan advisors, with content sections covering practice management, fiduciary standards, 401(k) products, SECURE legislation, and Social Security.
• Pod(k)ast An audio podcast delivering news, insights, and analysis on trends, products, and policy shaping the retirement plan industry, distributed via YouTube and podcast platforms.
• Email Newsletter A free email newsletter delivered three times per week covering breaking regulatory news, fiduciary coverage, product and market intelligence, and practice management insights for retirement plan advisors.
• Deep Dive In-depth research and analysis content featuring industry studies, white papers, and comprehensive guides on retirement planning topics.
• SECURE 3.0 Coverage A dedicated content section tracking key regulatory and legislative developments related to SECURE 3.0 legislation for retirement plan advisors.
• Leaders Speak / Sponsored Articles Sponsored content section featuring industry white papers, thought leadership articles, and sponsored articles from retirement industry partners, sold as paid placements to retirement industry vendors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Newsletter delivered free three times weekly to industry professionals
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SWAY | LIVEminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConference event partnership featuring personal branding programming for retirement advisors. SWAY | LIVE 2026 event held in Boulder, Colorado in early August. 401(k) Specialist serves as a media partner for event coverage and content promotion.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• InvestmentNews: Trade publication covering financial advisors, including extensive 401(k) and retirement plan content via news, newsletters, and events. Directly comparable B2B media business serving a materially overlapping advisor audience.
• Plansponsor: Long-standing trade publication dedicated to retirement plan sponsors and advisors, covering 401(k) regulation, investment products, and plan management. Closely aligned niche focus and similar GTM (digital, newsletter, events) to 401(k) Specialist.
• WealthManagement.com: Informa-owned digital publication serving wealth and retirement advisors with news, research, and industry events. Competes for the same advisor audience and advertiser dollars with broader wealth coverage.
• NAPA-Net (National Association of Plan Advisors): Association-affiliated media outlet publishing news and commentary specifically for retirement plan advisors. Most direct niche overlap; competes for the same advisor subscribers and retirement industry sponsorships.
• BenefitsPro: SourceMedia-era publication covering employee benefits including retirement plans, with parallel newsletter and digital advertising monetization. Comparable B2B media model targeting employer-side benefits and retirement stakeholders.
• ThinkAdvisor: Digital publication serving independent and institutional financial advisors with regulatory, practice management, and product coverage. Overlapping audience and advertising model, though broader than 401(k)-specific.
• Advisor Perspectives: Independent digital publication delivering news, research, and commentary to financial advisors. Comparable content-led, ad-supported B2B media business with material overlap in retirement and planning content.
• Financial Planning (SourceMedia/JupiterOne): Established trade brand covering financial advisors and planners including retirement-focused content. Direct competitor for advisor mindshare and retirement industry sponsorships, with comparable digital-first distribution.
• RIABiz: Independent publication covering the registered investment advisor channel, including retirement-focused practices. Comparable niche B2B media serving a subset of 401(k) Specialist's advisor audience.

Broad incumbents

• CFO Brew / Industry Dive publications: Industry Dive operates a portfolio of B2B trade publications including CFO-focused verticals. Comparable B2B newsletter- and ad-driven media business model targeting senior financial decision-makers who overlap with retirement plan sponsors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/401kspecmag
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@401kSpecialistMagazine
• Facebookfacebook.com/401kSpecialist
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/401-k-specialist-magazine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 401(k) Specialist