Applied Research Associates, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Applied Research Associates, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan & Trust
Albuquerque, NMProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services2,257 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$6,302Employer $ per active participant
$9,827Employee $ saved per active participant
0.05%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$647.9MNet plan assets, end of year
$206,547Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity40.4 / 5081th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost21.5 / 2586th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving8.6 / 1557th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score71 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (1,469 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 81th |
| Lower admin cost | 86th |
| Employee saving | 57th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $4,341 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Applied Research Associates put in about $6,302 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,082). 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 | $14,224,548 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $22,178,491 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $6,840,749 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $327,326 |
| Other admin expenses | $327,326 |
| Benefits paid out | $54,630,075 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $573.0M / $647.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,218 / 2,296 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,137 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | KPMG LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | $302,615 reported compensation |
| Vanguard Advisers Inc. | $65,963 reported compensation |
| KPMG LLP | $36,054 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20260715105513NAL0001986451001, received 2026-07-15, EIN 85-0276434, plan #001, plan year 2024-10-01 to 2025-09-30. Verify at efast.dol.gov.