For decades, the wealth management industry has viewed 401(k)s in a simple paradigm: wait until someone retires, roll over their 401(k), and then advise on how to make those assets last through retirement. 

But for many, the best time to seek investment advice is while they’re actively saving. The compounding benefits of early, optimized decisions—like asset location, fee mitigation, and behavioral guardrails—can have a substantial impact on the amount of money saved by the end of one’s working years.

To provide investors with holistic guidance during their peak earning years, the retirement landscape must update the 401(k) advice paradigm. To help accelerate this shift, Pontera is proud to partner with The Aspen Institute’s Financial Security Program, a leader in bringing together policymakers, researchers, and financial innovators to examine where the retirement system is falling short, and what it will take to move it forward.

Navigating a new era of financial complexity

Today’s savers face a fundamentally different landscape than previous generations. From student loan repayment to emergency savings, retirement plans increasingly recognize the “next-dollar-decisions” participants make. 

Against this backdrop, financial advice during the accumulation phase no longer exists in a vacuum; it must address a complex web of competing priorities. The Aspen Institute has been at the forefront of tackling these exact challenges, highlighting why comprehensive advice is needed long before retirement.

The Pontera vision: Advice at every stage

This growing complexity underscores exactly why the old model of waiting for a rollover no longer works. Investors need professional guidance now across all of their accounts—workplace or otherwise. Workers have long had the right to seek advice from the financial advisor of their choosing, regardless of where their retirement plan is held.

Pontera’s technology enables financial advisors to incorporate their clients' workplace retirement assets into holistic planning, without holding client credentials or activities that could trigger custody. By bridging the gap between workplace savings and personal wealth management, we give advisors the tools they need to execute a truly holistic financial plan during the years it matters most.

Looking ahead

Our collaboration with The Aspen Institute continues to advance our mission to democratize access to high-quality retirement advice. By aligning innovative technology with forward-thinking policy and industry consensus, we are moving toward a future where no asset is "held-away," and where every American can fully benefit from the compounding power of early, comprehensive financial planning.

For a deeper look at the ideas shaping this work, read our recap of the 2025 Workers’ Wealth Lab, where more than 100 retirement policy and industry leaders explored the future of financial advice and the barriers workers face in accessing guidance while they’re still saving.