Northern Star (pogo) LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Northern Star (pogo) LLC 401k Plan
Fairbanks, AKMining, Oil & Gas630 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$6,273Employer $ per active participant
$9,678Employee $ saved per active participant
0.37%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$69.8MNet plan assets, end of year
$82,678Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity32.4 / 5065th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost8.4 / 2533th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving11.6 / 1577th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score62 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Mining, Oil & Gas plans with 500–2,499 active participants (129 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 65th |
| Lower admin cost | 33th |
| Employee saving | 77th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 60% |
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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
- Northern Star (pogo) put in about $6,273 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($4,357). 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 (0.37% 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 | $3,951,831 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $6,097,220 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,387,324 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $241,905 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $62,635 |
| Other admin expenses | $24,911 |
| Benefits paid out | $11,810,225 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $62.2M / $69.8M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 610 / 650 |
| Participants with account balances | 844 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company O | $106,934 reported compensation |
| Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc. | $60,000 reported compensation |
| Moss Adams LLP | $47,250 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014133519NAL0003043281001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 92-0173618, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.