Bal Seal Engineering, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Bal Seal Engineering, Inc. Savings & Investment Plan
Foothill Ranch, CAManufacturing538 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,931Employer $ per active participant
$4,270Employee $ saved per active participant
0.32%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$40.7MNet plan assets, end of year
$88,761Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity20.8 / 5042th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost9.5 / 2538th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.1 / 1541th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score39 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 42th |
| Lower admin cost | 38th |
| Employee saving | 41th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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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
- Bal Seal Engineering put in about $1,931 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,320). 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.
- 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 | $1,039,137 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,297,498 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,879 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $124,712 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $64,056 |
| Benefits paid out | $3,328,416 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $36.9M / $40.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 557 / 519 |
| Participants with account balances | 458 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Windes |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company O | $124,709 reported compensation |
| Sageview Advisory Group, LLC | $64,056 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251006154551NAL0003751841001, received 2025-10-06, EIN 95-2454094, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.