Arkansas Children's 401(k) Review & Grade
Arkansas Children's Defined Contribution Retirement Plan
Little Rock, ARHealth Care & Social Assistance3,539 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$885Employer $ per active participant
$53Employee $ saved per active participant
0.15%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$99.3MNet plan assets, end of year
$25,107Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity26.2 / 5052th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost10.7 / 2543th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving0.3 / 152th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score44 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Health Care & Social Assistance plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (312 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 52th |
| Lower admin cost | 43th |
| Employee saving | 2th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 38% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $10,431 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Arkansas Children's put in about $885 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($800). 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.
- 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 | $3,133,469 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $189,309 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | – |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $145,697 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $17,000 |
| Benefits paid out | $5,920,123 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $92.1M / $99.3M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 3,368 / 3,710 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,955 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Landmark PLC |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Transamerica Retirement Solutions | $119,657 reported compensation |
| Stephens, Inc. | $17,000 reported compensation |
| Friday Eldredge & Clark LLP | $9,040 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20260414081239NAL0023483970001, received 2026-04-14, EIN 81-0801296, plan #002, plan year 2024-07-01 to 2025-06-30. Verify at efast.dol.gov.