P. L. Marketing Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
P. L. Marketing Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan
Newport, KYProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services2,169 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$752Employer $ per active participant
$1,515Employee $ saved per active participant
0.03%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$49.7MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity8.3 / 5017th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost23.3 / 2593th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving1.1 / 157th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score36 / 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 | 17th |
| Lower admin cost | 93th |
| Employee saving | 7th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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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
- P. L. Marketing put in about $752 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 | $1,631,802 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $3,286,113 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $198,300 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $14,123 |
| Benefits paid out | $6,526,254 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $46.0M / $49.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,099 / 2,239 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,064 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Kelley Galloway Smith Goolsby, PSC |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and S | $14,121 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251010115633NAL0008102257001, received 2025-10-10, EIN 31-1276521, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.