Center for Alternative 401(k) Review & Grade
Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services, Inc. 403(b) Plan
Brooklyn, NYOther Services586 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,640Employer $ per active participant
$2,822Employee $ saved per active participant
0.81%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$18.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$20,289Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity38.7 / 5077th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost2.4 / 2510th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving8.4 / 1556th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score60 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Other Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (333 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 77th |
| Lower admin cost | 10th |
| Employee saving | 56th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 40% |
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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
- Center for Alternative put in about $2,640 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,257). 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 (0.81% 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.
- 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 | $1,548,434 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $1,655,005 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $258,220 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $137,328 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $137,328 |
| Benefits paid out | $1,993,510 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $15.3M / $18.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 576 / 597 |
| Participants with account balances | 918 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Mutual of America Sec. Corp LLC | $74,696 reported compensation |
| Wilshire Associates | $25,969 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250919113333NAL0002235665001, received 2025-09-19, EIN 13-2668080, plan #004, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.