Gothic Landscaping, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Gothic Landscaping, Inc. 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
Valencia, CAConstruction1,938 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$65Employer $ per active participant
$789Employee $ saved per active participant
0.08%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$14.8MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity2.3 / 505th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost19.5 / 2578th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving1.1 / 157th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score13 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Construction plans with 500–2,499 active participants (498 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 5th |
| Lower admin cost | 78th |
| Employee saving | 7th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 44% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($37,689 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $175,130 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Gothic Landscaping put in about $65 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,672). 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 reported late deposits of employee contributions. Compare your pay stubs with your account statements, and contact the plan administrator if money shows up late.
- 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 | $125,038 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $1,527,899 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $13,839 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $11,299 |
| Contract administrator fees | $11,299 |
| Benefits paid out | $706,080 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $12.2M / $14.8M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,909 / 1,966 |
| Participants with account balances | 332 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Hedman Partners LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Ascensus LLC | $11,299 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250918125947NAL0001545616001, received 2025-09-18, EIN 95-3894569, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.