Alku, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Alku 401(k) Plan
Andover, MAAdministrative, Support & Staffing Services1,803 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$473Employer $ per active participant
$6,300Employee $ saved per active participant
0.31%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$65.3MNet plan assets, end of year
$47,467Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity21.4 / 5043th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost9.9 / 2540th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.1 / 1587th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features0 / 10No auto-enrollment or default investment reported
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score31 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Administrative, Support & Staffing Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (401 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 43th |
| Lower admin cost | 40th |
| Employee saving | 87th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 27% |
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Red flags from the filing
Prohibited transactions: the plan reported non-exempt transactions with a party in interest.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $11,791 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Alku put in about $473 per active participant, below the typical peer ($712). Any match is still an instant return, so contribute enough to get all of it.
- 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 | $852,626 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $11,359,549 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,597,424 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $180,090 |
| Contract administrator fees | $600 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $109,695 |
| Benefits paid out | $8,194,517 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $51.8M / $65.3M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,818 / 1,788 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,376 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Bdo USA, P.C. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Osaic | $109,695 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $39,404 reported compensation |
| Bdo USA P.C. | $30,991 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015140552NAL0009629954001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 26-1250834, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.