Ballard Spahr LLP 401(k) Review & Grade
Ballard Spahr LLP 401(k) Plan for Partners Counsel & BPS
Philadelphia, PAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services930 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$14,594Employer $ per active participant
$11,064Employee $ saved per active participant
0.01%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$550.0MNet plan assets, end of year
$434,757Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity48.6 / 5097th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost24.5 / 2598th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving10.2 / 1568th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score83 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (1,469 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 97th |
| Lower admin cost | 98th |
| Employee saving | 68th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $8,870 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Ballard Spahr LLP put in about $14,594 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,082). 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.
- 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 | $13,572,638 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $10,289,513 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $68,719,337 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $44,542 |
| Contract administrator fees | $300 |
| Benefits paid out | $42,015,263 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $461.3M / $550.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 797 / 1,063 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,265 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Eisneramper LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $44,542 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20260414161224NAL0016100545001, received 2026-04-14, EIN 23-0382195, plan #002, plan year 2024-07-01 to 2025-06-30. Verify at efast.dol.gov.