Barton & Associates Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Barton & Associates Inc 401k Profit Sharing Plan and Trust
Peabody, MAAdministrative, Support & Staffing Services544 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,021Employer $ per active participant
$3,810Employee $ saved per active participant
0.59%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$22.4MNet plan assets, end of year
$55,010Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity31.3 / 5062th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost4.5 / 2518th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving10.5 / 1570th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score49 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Administrative, Support & Staffing Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (401 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 62th |
| Lower admin cost | 18th |
| Employee saving | 70th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 27% |
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Red flags from the filing
No red flags were reported on this filing's compliance questions.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Barton & Associates put in about $1,021 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($712). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (0.59% 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.
- 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 | $555,638 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,072,478 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $627,701 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $123,322 |
| Contract administrator fees | $123,322 |
| Benefits paid out | $3,064,778 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $19.4M / $22.4M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 557 / 531 |
| Participants with account balances | 407 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Baker Newman Noyes |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Ascensus Holdings Inc | $69,785 reported compensation |
| Empower Annuity Insurance Co. | $47,959 reported compensation |
| Guidance Point Retirement | $16,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251009064856NAL0010450880001, received 2025-10-09, EIN 04-3582777, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.