Saul Ewing LLP 401(k) Review & Grade
Saul Ewing Retirement Plan
Philadelphia, PAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services855 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$14,039Employer $ per active participant
$12,719Employee $ saved per active participant
0.09%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$489.3MNet plan assets, end of year
$410,102Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity48.4 / 5097th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost18.9 / 2576th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving11.8 / 1579th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score86 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (1,469 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 97th |
| Lower admin cost | 76th |
| Employee saving | 79th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $2,317 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Saul Ewing LLP put in about $14,039 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 | $12,003,729 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $10,874,802 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,727,430 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $433,772 |
| Contract administrator fees | $12,750 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $336,787 |
| Benefits paid out | $30,534,438 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $434.1M / $489.3M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 841 / 869 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,193 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Eisneramper,llp |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Capfinancial Partners, LLC | $125,916 reported compensation |
| Schwab Retirement Plan Services,inc | $62,905 reported compensation |
| First Foundation Advisors | $52,234 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20260213125626NAL0001499504001, received 2026-02-13, EIN 23-1416352, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.