Management Science Associates, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Management Science Associates, Inc. Employee Savings and Profit Sharing Plan
Tarentum, PAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services509 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$5,316Employer $ per active participant
$10,155Employee $ saved per active participant
0.11%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$183.1MNet plan assets, end of year
$235,655Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity37.8 / 5076th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost17.8 / 2571th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving9.0 / 1560th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score72 / 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 | 76th |
| Lower admin cost | 71th |
| Employee saving | 60th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $1,386 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Management Science Associates put in about $5,316 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 | $2,706,060 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $5,168,797 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $17,546 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $196,965 |
| Contract administrator fees | $137,052 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $59,913 |
| Benefits paid out | $12,681,526 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $170.0M / $183.1M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 511 / 507 |
| Participants with account balances | 777 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Cherry Bekaert LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Stancorp Financial Group | $137,046 reported compensation |
| Capfinancial Partners, LLC | $59,913 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20260703095643NAL0019746240001, received 2026-07-03, EIN 25-1126415, plan #001, plan year 2024-10-01 to 2025-09-30. Verify at efast.dol.gov.