Korn Ferry 401(k) Review & Grade
Korn Ferry 401(k) Savings Plan
Los Angeles, CAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services3,306 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,016Employer $ per active participant
$11,324Employee $ saved per active participant
0.17%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$478.2MNet plan assets, end of year
$124,705Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity18.0 / 5036th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost10.2 / 2541th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving9.8 / 1565th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score45 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (231 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 36th |
| Lower admin cost | 41th |
| Employee saving | 65th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 47% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $6,687 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Korn Ferry put in about $2,016 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,951). 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.
- 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 | $6,665,363 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $37,432,925 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $6,919,154 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $771,248 |
| Contract administrator fees | $741,343 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $9,881 |
| Benefits paid out | $61,898,012 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $451.9M / $478.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 3,277 / 3,334 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,835 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Cliftonlarsonallen LLP |
| Employer stock held by plan | $400,962 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Towers Watson Investment Services | $506,543 reported compensation |
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $233,012 reported compensation |
| Willis Towers Watson | $20,050 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20260211075611NAL0003887296001, received 2026-02-11, EIN 95-2623879, plan #003, plan year 2024-05-01 to 2025-04-30. Verify at efast.dol.gov.