Mariner Finance, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Mariner Finance LLC 401k Plan
Nottingham, MDFinance & Insurance2,202 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,046Employer $ per active participant
$3,549Employee $ saved per active participant
0.30%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$112.7MNet plan assets, end of year
$40,683Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity10.7 / 5021th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost10.2 / 2541th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving1.4 / 159th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score32 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Finance & Insurance plans with 500–2,499 active participants (754 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 21th |
| Lower admin cost | 41th |
| Employee saving | 9th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 62% |
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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
- Mariner Finance put in about $2,046 per active participant, below the typical peer ($3,606). 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 | $4,503,854 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $7,812,672 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $834,863 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $302,966 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $47,500 |
| Benefits paid out | $9,485,180 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $92.0M / $112.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,134 / 2,269 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,770 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | RSM US LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Transamerica Retirement Solutions | $255,466 reported compensation |
| First Horizon Advisors, Inc. | $47,500 reported compensation |
| National Financial Services | $0 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251007151331NAL0004770369001, received 2025-10-07, EIN 03-0433977, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.