Cetera Financial Group, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Cetera Financial Group, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan
El Segundo, CAFinance & Insurance2,588 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,987Employer $ per active participant
$8,335Employee $ saved per active participant
0.11%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$386.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$105,738Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity13.6 / 5027th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost13.8 / 2555th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving7.3 / 1548th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score45 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Finance & Insurance plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (199 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 27th |
| Lower admin cost | 55th |
| Employee saving | 48th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 66% |
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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
- Cetera Financial Group put in about $2,987 per active participant, below the typical peer ($4,489). 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.
- 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 | $7,730,253 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $21,570,515 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $6,120,671 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $330,803 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $85,910 |
| Other admin expenses | $1,200 |
| Benefits paid out | $23,810,937 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $229.5M / $386.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,106 / 3,070 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,656 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company O | $288,721 reported compensation |
| Empower Advisory Group, LLC | $77,656 reported compensation |
| Sageview Advisory Group LLC | $74,504 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250829100531NAL0011072225001, received 2025-08-29, EIN 30-0588666, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.