Applied Technical Services, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Applied Technical Services, 401(k) Plan
Marietta, GAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services1,856 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,885Employer $ per active participant
$6,322Employee $ saved per active participant
0.26%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$113.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$52,745Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity16.2 / 5032th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost11.6 / 2547th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving4.8 / 1532th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score40 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (1,469 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 32th |
| Lower admin cost | 47th |
| Employee saving | 32th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $25,916 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Applied Technical Services put in about $1,885 per active participant, below the typical peer ($3,082). 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.
- 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 | $3,498,856 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $11,734,430 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $7,577,557 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $263,638 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $222,018 |
| Benefits paid out | $13,521,144 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $92.7M / $113.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,850 / 1,862 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,154 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Bennett Thrasher |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| LPL Financial | $114,435 reported compensation |
| Empower Advisory Group, LLC | $107,583 reported compensation |
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company O | $41,620 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251009123151NAL0006581969001, received 2025-10-09, EIN 58-0976776, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.