Willdan Group, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Willdan Group, Inc 401(k) Plan
Anaheim, CAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services1,694 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,376Employer $ per active participant
$6,593Employee $ saved per active participant
0.25%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$148.8MNet plan assets, end of year
$67,378Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity19.7 / 5039th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost11.8 / 2547th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving4.9 / 1533th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score43 / 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 | 39th |
| Lower admin cost | 47th |
| Employee saving | 33th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $1,674 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Willdan Group put in about $2,376 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.
- 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 | $4,025,066 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $11,168,238 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,327,551 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $349,509 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $287,757 |
| Benefits paid out | $16,362,211 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $131.6M / $148.8M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,631 / 1,757 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,208 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Windes, Inc. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Schwab Retirement Plan Services,inc | $335,379 reported compensation |
| Venture Forth Financial LLC | $14,135 reported compensation |
| Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. | $423 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250904153336NAL0016273377001, received 2025-09-04, EIN 14-1951112, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.