Cytel Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Cytel Inc. Retirement Plan
Cambridge, MAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services528 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$5,707Employer $ per active participant
$14,693Employee $ saved per active participant
0.32%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$75.0MNet plan assets, end of year
$92,241Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity39.0 / 5078th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost9.7 / 2539th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.1 / 1587th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score69 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (1,469 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 78th |
| Lower admin cost | 39th |
| Employee saving | 87th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $606 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Cytel put in about $5,707 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 | $3,016,099 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $7,765,129 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,134,956 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $216,478 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $53,557 |
| Other admin expenses | $56,453 |
| Benefits paid out | $7,429,622 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $61.8M / $75.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 539 / 518 |
| Participants with account balances | 813 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Caron & Bletzer |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company | $83,008 reported compensation |
| Capfinancial Partners LLC DBA | $30,000 reported compensation |
| Empower Advisory Group, LLC | $23,557 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250911115015NAL0001147634001, received 2025-09-11, EIN 04-2955676, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.