Aarp 401(k) Review & Grade
Aarp Employees 401k Plan
Washington, DCOther Services2,544 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$6,044Employer $ per active participant
$14,697Employee $ saved per active participant
0.03%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$998.5MNet plan assets, end of year
$269,435Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity47.6 / 5095th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost22.1 / 2588th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving14.6 / 1598th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features0 / 10No auto-enrollment or default investment reported
Total score84 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Other Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (42 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 95th |
| Lower admin cost | 88th |
| Employee saving | 98th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 45% |
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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
- Aarp put in about $6,044 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,132). 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.
- 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.
- 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 | $15,376,232 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $37,389,423 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $3,412,843 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $309,254 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $109,225 |
| Other admin expenses | $3,365 |
| Benefits paid out | $65,442,963 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $885.7M / $998.5M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,539 / 2,549 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,706 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Grant Thornton LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| T Rowe Price | $142,663 reported compensation |
| Aon Hewitt Associates LP | $109,225 reported compensation |
| Grant Thornton | $54,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015075317NAL0004281953001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 95-1985500, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.