9 Dot Education Solutions, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
9dot 401(k) Plan
Pasadena, CAEducational Services2,300 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,650Employer $ per active participant
$3,593Employee $ saved per active participant
0.36%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$101.7MNet plan assets, end of year
$48,357Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity31.5 / 5063th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost8.4 / 2534th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving9.9 / 1566th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score60 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Educational Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (144 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 63th |
| Lower admin cost | 34th |
| Employee saving | 66th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 37% |
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Red flags from the filing
No red flags were reported on this filing's compliance questions.
What to do if you're in this plan
- 9 Dot Education Solutions put in about $1,650 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,225). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Direct plan expenses (0.36% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.23%). Check your annual fee disclosure, choose low-cost index funds if you can, and think about whether savings beyond the match belong in an IRA.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $3,795,076 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $8,260,998 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $31,838,121 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $283,077 |
| Contract administrator fees | $25,950 |
| Benefits paid out | $3,861,124 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $53.5M / $101.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,590 / 2,009 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,104 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Pension Assurance LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company | $170,004 reported compensation |
| Kestra Investment Services LLC | $78,945 reported compensation |
| Empower Advisory Group, LLC | $41,885 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250916105333NAL0001140019002, received 2025-09-16, EIN 37-1663300, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.