Aspen Skiing Company 401(k) Review & Grade
Aspen Skiing Company Savings Plan
Aspen, COArts, Entertainment & Recreation3,729 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$538Employer $ per active participant
$1,090Employee $ saved per active participant
0.01%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$182.1MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity7.4 / 5015th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost24.2 / 2597th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving1.3 / 159th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score26 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Arts, Entertainment & Recreation plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (35 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 15th |
| Lower admin cost | 97th |
| Employee saving | 9th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 43% |
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
Benefits not paid when due: the plan reported failing to pay some benefits on time.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Aspen Skiing put in about $538 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,107). 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 | $2,006,189 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $4,063,596 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $322,109 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $24,421 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $28,121 |
| Benefits paid out | $9,155,019 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $172.6M / $182.1M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 3,244 / 4,214 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,816 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Bdo USA, P.C. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $28,121 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | −$3,323 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014095825NAL0001206195001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 84-0994002, plan #003, plan year 2024-06-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.