Stepping Stones Healthcare Services, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
The Stepping Stones Group Retirement Plan
Boston, MAHealth Care & Social Assistance15,350 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$0Employer $ per active participant
$1,329Employee $ saved per active participant
0.93%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$104.0MNet plan assets, end of year
$8,122Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity0.0 / 500th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost0.3 / 251th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving3.7 / 1525th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score1 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Health Care & Social Assistance plans with 10,000+ active participants (115 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 0th |
| Lower admin cost | 1th |
| Employee saving | 25th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 52% |
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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 ($7,379 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $4,710 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- This plan reported $0 in employer contributions for 2024. Some employers put their money into a separate plan, so check any other plans listed below and ask HR. If there really is no company money, you still get the tax break. Compare the plan's fees and funds with an IRA before deciding where your next dollar goes.
- 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 (0.93% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.09%). 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 | $0 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $20,400,837 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,355,701 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $855,603 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $259,136 |
| Benefits paid out | $13,898,315 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $80.8M / $104.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 15,723 / 14,977 |
| Participants with account balances | 12,808 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Plante Moran PLLC |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $596,467 reported compensation |
| Creative Planning LLC | $258,945 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250904165618NAL0034242546001, received 2025-09-04, EIN 46-5522100, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.