Adviser Compliance Associates, LLC DBA Aca Group 401(k) Review & Grade
Adviser Compliance Associates, LLC DBA Aca Group 401(k) Plan
Silver Spring, MDProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services1,046 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$4,230Employer $ per active participant
$11,716Employee $ saved per active participant
0.09%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$140.7MNet plan assets, end of year
$102,545Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity33.3 / 5067th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost19.1 / 2576th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving10.8 / 1572th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score63 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (1,469 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 67th |
| Lower admin cost | 76th |
| Employee saving | 72th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $997 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Adviser Compliance Associates, LLC DBA Aca Group put in about $4,230 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,082). 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.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- 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 | $4,426,368 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $12,260,665 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,109,247 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $117,484 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $109,421 |
| Benefits paid out | $15,053,065 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $119.7M / $140.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,007 / 1,086 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,372 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Harper Pearson & Company, P.C. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Creative Planning LLC | $109,421 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $8,063 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251010121121NAL0012556384001, received 2025-10-10, EIN 75-2987063, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.