Specialized Retail Stores LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Specialized Retail Stores 401(k) Plan
Costa Mesa, CAWholesale Trade790 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,063Employer $ per active participant
$2,293Employee $ saved per active participant
0.53%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$11.1MNet plan assets, end of year
$13,018Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity28.6 / 5057th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost5.3 / 2521th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving2.1 / 1514th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score36 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Wholesale Trade plans with 500–2,499 active participants (603 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 57th |
| Lower admin cost | 21th |
| Employee saving | 14th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 53% |
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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 ($259,141 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Specialized Retail Stores put in about $2,063 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,792). 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 (0.53% 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.
- 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 | $1,629,685 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $1,811,334 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $353,965 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $50,300 |
| Other admin expenses | $15,468 |
| Benefits paid out | $1,798,008 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $7.9M / $11.1M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 807 / 773 |
| Participants with account balances | 853 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Cliftonlarsonallen LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $39,937 reported compensation |
| Newfront Retirement Services | $10,373 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20260305142714NAL0002605379001, received 2026-03-05, EIN 46-1425563, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.