Covington & Burling LLP 401(k) Review & Grade
Covington & Burling Retirement Savings Plan
Washington, DCProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services2,112 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$13,613Employer $ per active participant
$19,201Employee $ saved per active participant
0.04%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$1.7BNet plan assets, end of year
$513,368Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity48.1 / 5096th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost22.6 / 2590th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving14.7 / 1598th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score92 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (1,469 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 96th |
| Lower admin cost | 90th |
| Employee saving | 98th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $39,598 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Covington & Burling LLP put in about $13,613 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,082). 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.
- 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 | $28,750,100 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $40,553,517 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $16,350,475 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $637,419 |
| Contract administrator fees | $14,963 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $449,056 |
| Benefits paid out | $98,065,666 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $1.5B / $1.7B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,138 / 2,086 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,323 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Financial Engines Inc | $362,669 reported compensation |
| Schwab Retirement Plan Services,inc | $163,425 reported compensation |
| Morgan Stanley Smith Barney | $61,449 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015151904NAL0002536579001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 53-0188411, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.