Jack in the Box Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Jack in the Box Inc. Easysaver Plus Plan
San Diego, CAAccommodation & Food Services5,226 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$645Employer $ per active participant
$1,325Employee $ saved per active participant
0.10%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$145.0MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity40.3 / 5081th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost14.5 / 2558th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving10.9 / 1573th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score66 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Accommodation & Food Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (104 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 81th |
| Lower admin cost | 58th |
| Employee saving | 73th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 15% |
Get the monthly 401(k) report card
The best and worst plans, new grades as filings post. One email a month, no spam.
Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $4,255 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Jack in the Box put in about $645 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($244). 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.
- 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 | $3,369,232 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $6,925,690 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,397,369 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $128,237 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $10,195 |
| Benefits paid out | $14,001,126 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $116.3M / $145.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 4,272 / 6,180 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,896 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Bdo USA P.C. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Schwab Retirement Plan Services Inc | $128,286 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251009080128NAL0003410579001, received 2025-10-09, EIN 95-2698708, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.