American Conservation Experience 401(k) Review & Grade
American Conservation Experience 403(b) Thrift Plan
Flagstaff, AZAgriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting707 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$206Employer $ per active participant
$552Employee $ saved per active participant
1.09%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$1.9MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity5.6 / 5011th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost1.4 / 255th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving1.7 / 1511th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score2 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting plans with 500–2,499 active participants (118 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 11th |
| Lower admin cost | 5th |
| Employee saving | 11th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 36% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($11,926 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
What to do if you're in this plan
- American Conservation Experience put in about $206 per active participant, below the typical peer ($774). 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 (1.09% 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 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 | $145,878 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $390,018 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $45,336 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $16,857 |
| Benefits paid out | $186,109 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $1.2M / $1.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 230 / 1,184 |
| Participants with account balances | 168 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Williams Overman Pierce, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Mutual of America Sec. Corp LLC | $15,484 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014160408NAL0001628659001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 37-1473291, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.