Universal Services of America, LP 401(k) Review & Grade
Allied Universal 401(k) Plan
Irvine, CAAdministrative, Support & Staffing Services239,598 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$55Employer $ per active participant
$353Employee $ saved per active participant
0.42%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$681.5MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity14.1 / 5028th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost1.2 / 255th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving2.3 / 1516th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score18 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Administrative, Support & Staffing Services plans with 10,000+ active participants (33 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 28th |
| Lower admin cost | 5th |
| Employee saving | 16th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 36% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $33,021 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Universal Services of America, LP put in about $55 per active participant, below the typical peer ($271). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (0.42% 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.
- 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 | $13,142,755 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $84,583,330 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $7,761,954 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $2,699,773 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $85,000 |
| Other admin expenses | $2,500 |
| Benefits paid out | $86,608,852 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $591.9M / $681.5M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 253,169 / 226,026 |
| Participants with account balances | 32,477 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Withumsmith & Brown, PC |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company | $2,599,273 reported compensation |
| Sageview Advisory Group, LLC | $85,000 reported compensation |
| Withumsmith+brown, PC | $13,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251002102450NAL0000272179001, received 2025-10-02, EIN 61-1790568, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.