Ash welcomes Paul Sippil, a forensic 401k consultant, to discuss the complexities and hidden issues often found in group retirement plans, particularly 401k and profit sharing plans within dental practices and other small businesses. Paul shares how his unique role focuses on exposing conflicts of interest, unnecessary fees, lack of transparency, and even fraud within these plans. He describes how business owners and plan participants frequently misunderstand how fees are assessed, often assuming they pay nothing out-of-pocket—when in reality, high costs may be embedded, sometimes even continuing long after the original adviser has left or, in some cases, passed away.

Paul explains the mechanics of broker commissions, how these fees are often hidden from both employers and employees, and the importance of transparency in fee structure. He provides practical advice for dental practice owners and other professionals on how to minimize costs by paying fees directly at the employer level, allowing for tax deductibility and better cost control. Paul also covers the value of one-on-one meetings with advisers for plan participants, and offers recommendations on how owners can better manage their retirement plans to avoid unnecessary expenses and potential abuses.

To learn more or connect with Paul, visit: https://www.paulsippil.com/

Key Topics Discussed:

• What a forensic 401 (k) consultant does
• Common misunderstandings and hidden fees in group retirement plans
• Broker commissions and lack of fee transparency
• Real-world examples of fee abuses and potential fraud
• Why dental and other professional practice owners should pay retirement plan fees directly
• Importance of transparent, fixed-fee arrangements with advisers
• The value and scarcity of one-on-one meetings between advisers and participants
• Simple steps to reduce retirement plan costs and improve oversight

Ash sits down with Luke Oyler from CARR, a company specializing in dental real estate services. The conversation centers around how dental professionals can make smarter decisions when leasing or purchasing practice locations, highlighting the importance of working with expert advisors. Luke explains how CARR advocates for dentists, negotiates key aspects of their leases—including base rent, tenant improvement allowances, and free rent—and brings market insights to help avoid costly mistakes.

The episode also covers strategies for lease renewal and negotiation. Luke stresses the need for dentists to start planning at least a year in advance to maintain leverage, especially given the high costs and complexity of moving a dental office. The discussion clarifies that CARR’s services typically come at no cost to the client, as agents’ fees are paid by landlords. Additional topics include how CARR supports clients throughout the process, keeps track of important timelines, and provides access to a network of trusted professionals in areas like lending, construction, and accounting.

To find out more, you can visit: https://carr.us/

• Importance of negotiating base rent and advertised lease rates
• Tenant improvement allowance and how it impacts startup costs
• Free rent periods and working capital for new practices
• Lease renegotiation strategies and how to keep leverage
• Timing for approaching lease renewal
• How professional dental real estate agents are compensated
• Tracking leases and proactive renewal reminders
• Asking for tenant improvement allowances during renewals

In this episode, Ash sits down with Nick Hinshaw from WinStar Insurance Group to discuss how insurance can play a critical role in reducing stress for dental practice owners and their teams. The conversation covers essential insurance policies beyond the mandatory requirements, like disability insurance and group benefit plans, which can offer peace of mind to both owners and staff. Nick explains how regularly reviewing disability policies ensures coverage matches the evolving needs of practice owners, helping prevent unwanted surprises if a disability occurs.

They highlight the importance of offering group benefit plans—such as health, dental, vision, and disability insurance—to retain employees and build a supportive practice culture. With turnover rates high in dentistry, especially in urban environments, providing comprehensive benefits can make a practice competitive and foster loyalty among team members. Ash and Nick also touch on insurance requirements for equipment purchases and warn against forced-place insurance imposed by lenders, which is often expensive and limited.

To find out more and connect with Nick, visit:

https://www.winstarins.com/breweries.html

Or you can email him at nhinshaw {at} winstarins.com

Key Topics Discussed:

• Insurance as a tool for stress relief in dental practices
• Benefits of non-mandatory insurance, especially disability coverage
• Regularly updating insurance policies to match current needs
• Importance of group benefit plans for retention and practice competitiveness
• How supporting employees with benefits impacts practice culture and output
• Challenges with lender-imposed (forced-place) insurance on equipment
• The need for proactive, communicative insurance agents
• Asking staff about the benefits they value most
• Risk management and reducing pressure for practice owners