Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP 401(k) Review & Grade
Bal Retirement Plan
San Francisco, CAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services1,012 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,900Employer $ per active participant
$8,090Employee $ saved per active participant
0.00%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$99.1MNet plan assets, end of year
$66,569Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity23.5 / 5047th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost24.9 / 2599th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.3 / 1542th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score65 / 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 | 47th |
| Lower admin cost | 99th |
| Employee saving | 42th |
| 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
- Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP put in about $2,900 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 | $2,936,021 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $8,191,479 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,777,158 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $2,266 |
| Benefits paid out | $17,530,874 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $92.7M / $99.1M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,006 / 1,019 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,489 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| T Rowe Price RPS Inc | $50,112 reported compensation |
| National Financial Services | $0 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251006112058NAL0003547777001, received 2025-10-06, EIN 94-3068076, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.