Zumiez Inc 401(k) Review & Grade
Z.i.p.
Lynnwood, WARetail Trade1,590 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$442Employer $ per active participant
$2,826Employee $ saved per active participant
0.29%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$64.9MNet plan assets, end of year
$31,846Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity16.8 / 5034th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost10.4 / 2541th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving7.1 / 1547th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score44 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Retail Trade plans with 500–2,499 active participants (719 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 34th |
| Lower admin cost | 41th |
| Employee saving | 47th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
No red flags were reported on this filing's compliance questions.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Zumiez put in about $442 per active participant, below the typical peer ($743). 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 | $702,000 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $4,493,900 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $31,568 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $180,063 |
| Benefits paid out | $7,266,761 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $58.2M / $64.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 0 / 1,590 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,037 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company O | $217,558 reported compensation |
| Zumiez Inc | $53,728 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014153057NAL0004393376001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 91-1040022, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.