Alpha Media, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Alpha Media LLC 401(k) Retirement Plan
Portland, ORInformation876 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$385Employer $ per active participant
$3,211Employee $ saved per active participant
0.50%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$34.1MNet plan assets, end of year
$36,427Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity6.1 / 5012th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost5.8 / 2523th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving1.9 / 1513th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score11 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Information plans with 500–2,499 active participants (310 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 12th |
| Lower admin cost | 23th |
| Employee saving | 13th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
Get the monthly 401(k) report card
The best and worst plans, new grades as filings post. One email a month, no spam.
Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($2,527 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $79,392 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Alpha Media put in about $385 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,829). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (0.50% 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.
- The plan reported late deposits of employee contributions. Compare your pay stubs with your account statements, and contact the plan administrator if money shows up late.
- 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 | $337,697 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,813,266 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $73,774 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $164,427 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $51,266 |
| Benefits paid out | $4,982,958 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $31.9M / $34.1M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 958 / 794 |
| Participants with account balances | 935 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Perkins & Company |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Nwps | $100,586 reported compensation |
| Matisse Capital | $51,266 reported compensation |
| Charles Schwab Trust Bank | $12,574 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251010171136NAL0004429379001, received 2025-10-10, EIN 46-1145950, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.