Landcare USA, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Landcare 401(k) Retirement Plan
Frederick, MDAdministrative, Support & Staffing Services1,818 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,323Employer $ per active participant
$3,173Employee $ saved per active participant
0.59%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$61.2MNet plan assets, end of year
$20,248Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity34.1 / 5068th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost4.5 / 2518th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving9.6 / 1564th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score58 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Administrative, Support & Staffing Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (401 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 68th |
| Lower admin cost | 18th |
| Employee saving | 64th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 27% |
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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
- Landcare USA put in about $1,323 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($712). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (0.59% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.23%). Check your annual fee disclosure, choose low-cost index funds if you can, and think about whether savings beyond the match belong in an IRA.
- 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 | $2,404,238 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $5,766,419 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $693,962 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $340,554 |
| Contract administrator fees | $286,786 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $53,768 |
| Benefits paid out | $7,801,120 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $53.6M / $61.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,729 / 1,906 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,021 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Lutz & Company, P.C. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | $286,786 reported compensation |
| Creative Planning | $53,768 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014090022NAL0005184962001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 36-4313318, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.