Meritage Hospitality Group 401(k) Review & Grade
Meritage Hospitality Group 401(k)
Grand Rapids, MIAccommodation & Food Services8,471 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$49Employer $ per active participant
$145Employee $ saved per active participant
1.27%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$6.9MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity9.2 / 5018th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost0.7 / 253th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving0.7 / 155th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score4 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Accommodation & Food Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (104 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 18th |
| Lower admin cost | 3th |
| Employee saving | 5th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 15% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($651 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Meritage Hospitality Group put in about $49 per active participant, below the typical peer ($244). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (1.27% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.12%). Check your annual fee disclosure, choose low-cost index funds if you can, and think about whether savings beyond the match belong in an IRA.
- The plan reported late deposits of employee contributions. Compare your pay stubs with your account statements, and contact the plan administrator if money shows up late.
- 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 | $416,343 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $1,224,318 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $395,517 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $79,831 |
| Contract administrator fees | $79,831 |
| Benefits paid out | $1,504,529 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $5.6M / $6.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 5,976 / 10,966 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,168 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Hungerford |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $79,830 reported compensation |
| Principal Securities Inc | $15,594 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014084842NAL0001136915001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 38-2730460, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.