Blackline Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Blackline Systems, Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Woodland Hills, CAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services1,100 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$6,575Employer $ per active participant
$15,652Employee $ saved per active participant
0.09%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$184.0MNet plan assets, end of year
$130,209Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity41.1 / 5082th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost19.4 / 2577th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.6 / 1591th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score74 / 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 | 82th |
| Lower admin cost | 77th |
| Employee saving | 91th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $8,935 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Blackline put in about $6,575 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 | $7,236,334 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $17,224,540 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,522,455 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $142,810 |
| Contract administrator fees | $1,200 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $61,289 |
| Benefits paid out | $12,519,281 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $147.0M / $184.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,095 / 1,106 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,413 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Hedman Partners LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $81,521 reported compensation |
| Zephyr Investment Management | $61,289 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250826175412NAL0017563586001, received 2025-08-26, EIN 95-4876613, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.