Metropolitan Security Services, Inc DBA Walden Security 401(k) Review & Grade
Walden Security Federal Services Retirement Plan
Chattanooga, TNAdministrative, Support & Staffing Services5,771 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$6,878Employer $ per active participant
$3,996Employee $ saved per active participant
0.76%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$202.5MNet plan assets, end of year
$33,245Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity49.6 / 5099th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost1.8 / 257th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving11.7 / 1578th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score66 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Administrative, Support & Staffing Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (125 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 99th |
| Lower admin cost | 7th |
| Employee saving | 78th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 22% |
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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
- Metropolitan Security Services, Inc DBA Walden Security put in about $6,878 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($342). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (0.76% 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.
- 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 | $39,693,506 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $23,060,512 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $7,385,357 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $1,361,041 |
| Contract administrator fees | $1,352,176 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $15 |
| Other admin expenses | $8,850 |
| Benefits paid out | $37,697,199 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $155.5M / $202.5M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 5,934 / 5,608 |
| Participants with account balances | 6,091 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Erickson Demel & Associates, PLLC |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Voya Retirement Insurance & Annuity | $300,516 reported compensation |
| Kestra Investment Services, LLC | $88,687 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014120228NAL0001346403001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 62-1448519, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.