Meridianlink, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Meridianlink 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan & Trust
Costa Mesa, CAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services708 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,270Employer $ per active participant
$9,133Employee $ saved per active participant
0.30%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$64.4MNet plan assets, end of year
$89,607Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity18.7 / 5037th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost10.3 / 2541th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving7.6 / 1551th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score37 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (1,469 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 37th |
| Lower admin cost | 41th |
| Employee saving | 51th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $611 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Meridianlink put in about $2,270 per active participant, below the typical peer ($3,082). 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.
- 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 | $1,605,920 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $6,461,756 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,351,281 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $169,914 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $89,644 |
| Benefits paid out | $4,623,676 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $50.7M / $64.4M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 737 / 678 |
| Participants with account balances | 719 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Bdo |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company | $80,270 reported compensation |
| NFP Retirement Inc | $57,233 reported compensation |
| Empower Advisory Group, LLC | $32,411 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014110843NAL0001264419001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 82-4844620, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.