Company3 / Method Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Company 3 / Method 401(k) Plan
Santa Monica, CAInformation930 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,654Employer $ per active participant
$6,886Employee $ saved per active participant
0.02%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$216.5MNet plan assets, end of year
$111,994Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity22.5 / 5045th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost23.6 / 2595th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving5.6 / 1538th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score55 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Information plans with 500–2,499 active participants (310 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 45th |
| Lower admin cost | 95th |
| Employee saving | 38th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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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
- Company3 / Method put in about $2,654 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,829). 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.
- 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 | $2,466,742 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $6,400,105 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $698,881 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $49,368 |
| Contract administrator fees | $1,500 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $66,839 |
| Other admin expenses | $63,625 |
| Benefits paid out | $28,208,849 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $205.3M / $216.5M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 918 / 941 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,933 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Farber Hass Hurley LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $66,839 reported compensation |
| Mercer | $63,625 reported compensation |
| Farber Hass Hurley LLP | $21,500 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250905115447NAL0017165841001, received 2025-09-05, EIN 95-3034570, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.