Columbia Southern Education Group 401(k) Review & Grade
The Columbia Southern Education Group 401(k) Plan
Orange Beach, ALEducational Services936 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,233Employer $ per active participant
$2,800Employee $ saved per active participant
0.46%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$35.7MNet plan assets, end of year
$57,839Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity25.2 / 5050th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost6.5 / 2526th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving8.4 / 1556th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score43 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Educational Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (144 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 50th |
| Lower admin cost | 26th |
| Employee saving | 56th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 37% |
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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
- Columbia Southern Education Group put in about $1,233 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,225). 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 (0.46% 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 | $1,154,595 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,622,486 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $6,791 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $150,021 |
| Contract administrator fees | $85,298 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $49,825 |
| Other admin expenses | $14,898 |
| Benefits paid out | $2,425,736 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $29.9M / $35.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 915 / 958 |
| Participants with account balances | 618 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Weworski and Associates |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Regions Bank | $49,825 reported compensation |
| John Hancock Life Insurance Company | $18,600 reported compensation |
| The Pension Center of Florida, Inc. | $16,238 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251030110250NAL0001934737001, received 2025-10-30, EIN 63-1175854, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.