Meruelo Group LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Meruelo Group 401(k) Plan and Trust
Downey, CAManagement of Companies4,742 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$580Employer $ per active participant
$2,645Employee $ saved per active participant
0.19%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$124.5MNet plan assets, end of year
$31,226Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity5.1 / 5010th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost9.0 / 2536th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving1.3 / 158th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score12 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Management of Companies plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (60 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 10th |
| Lower admin cost | 36th |
| Employee saving | 8th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 58% |
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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 ($350,735 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $3,524 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Meruelo Group put in about $580 per active participant, below the typical peer ($3,455). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (0.19% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.12%). 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.
- 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 | $2,748,059 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $12,542,728 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,794,069 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $224,355 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $19,485 |
| Other admin expenses | $64,494 |
| Benefits paid out | $16,702,501 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $109.2M / $124.5M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 6,026 / 3,458 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,988 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company | $118,376 reported compensation |
| Marilyn Ryding | $64,000 reported compensation |
| Baker Tilly US LLP | $22,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015221847NAL0007395264001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 90-1017707, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.