Dai Esop, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Dai 401(k) Retirement Plan
Bethesda, MDProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services823 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$4,310Employer $ per active participant
$12,131Employee $ saved per active participant
0.06%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$218.1MNet plan assets, end of year
$180,810Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity33.7 / 5067th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost21.3 / 2585th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving11.2 / 1575th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score73 / 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 | 67th |
| Lower admin cost | 85th |
| Employee saving | 75th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $3,548 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Dai Esop put in about $4,310 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.
- 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 | $3,547,046 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $9,983,928 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $7,656,794 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $117,717 |
| Contract administrator fees | $117,717 |
| Benefits paid out | $23,762,575 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $193.8M / $218.1M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 835 / 811 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,206 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Deloitte & Touche LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $117,716 reported compensation |
| Creative Planning, LLC | $0 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250926093559NAL0003926483001, received 2025-09-26, EIN 81-0781201, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.