Connections Education, LLC. 401(k) Review & Grade
Connections Education 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
Baltimore, MDEducational Services4,427 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,325Employer $ per active participant
$2,403Employee $ saved per active participant
0.14%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$106.4MNet plan assets, end of year
$37,930Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity33.3 / 5067th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost11.6 / 2546th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving4.1 / 1527th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score52 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Educational Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (34 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 67th |
| Lower admin cost | 46th |
| Employee saving | 27th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 65% |
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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
- Connections Education put in about $1,325 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,155). 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 | $5,865,848 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $10,636,326 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $626,193 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $138,888 |
| Contract administrator fees | $138,888 |
| Benefits paid out | $22,515,569 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $97.3M / $106.4M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 4,236 / 4,618 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,806 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Ubs Financial Services Inc | $130,869 reported compensation |
| Capital Group Retirement Plan Svcs. | $29,027 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250930150614NAL0029614850001, received 2025-09-30, EIN 68-0519943, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.