Kirkland & Ellis LLP 401(k) Review & Grade
Kirkland & Ellis LLP Defined Contribution 401(k) Savings Plan
Chicago, ILProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services5,595 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$13,354Employer $ per active participant
$17,293Employee $ saved per active participant
0.03%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$2.7BNet plan assets, end of year
$291,071Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity48.3 / 5097th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost22.2 / 2589th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.4 / 1589th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score84 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (231 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 97th |
| Lower admin cost | 89th |
| Employee saving | 89th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 47% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $14,434 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Kirkland & Ellis LLP put in about $13,354 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,951). 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 | $74,717,882 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $96,754,973 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $24,811,212 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $804,508 |
| Other admin expenses | $804,508 |
| Benefits paid out | $137,454,465 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $2.3B / $2.7B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 5,310 / 5,880 |
| Participants with account balances | 9,178 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Pricewaterhousecoopers |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | $445,388 reported compensation |
| Vanguard Advisers Inc. | $379,900 reported compensation |
| Cerity Partners LLC | $7,841 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251001144502NAL0014425376001, received 2025-10-01, EIN 36-1326630, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.