Big Blue Marble Academy, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Big Blue Marble 401(k) Retirement Plan
Atlanta, GAEducational Services1,284 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$319Employer $ per active participant
$574Employee $ saved per active participant
2.64%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$2.5MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity4.5 / 509th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost0.2 / 251th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving0.6 / 154th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score0 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Educational Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (144 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 9th |
| Lower admin cost | 1th |
| Employee saving | 4th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 37% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($46,243 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Big Blue Marble Academy put in about $319 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,225). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (2.64% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.23%). Check your annual fee disclosure, choose low-cost index funds if you can, and think about whether savings beyond the match belong in an IRA.
- The plan reported late deposits of employee contributions. Compare your pay stubs with your account statements, and contact the plan administrator if money shows up late.
- 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 | $410,022 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $736,305 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $153,704 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $55,546 |
| Contract administrator fees | $8,795 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $13,605 |
| Other admin expenses | $12,722 |
| Benefits paid out | $752,832 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $1.7M / $2.5M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,122 / 1,445 |
| Participants with account balances | 343 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Hallowell 401(k) Assurance, LLC |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company | $20,424 reported compensation |
| Level Four Advisory Services, LLC | $11,029 reported compensation |
| Cri Tpa Services LLC | $8,795 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250829082752NAL0011160689001, received 2025-08-29, EIN 30-0999742, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.