National Veterinary Associates, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
National Veterinary Associates, Inc. 401(k) Plan
Westlake Village, CAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services53,468 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,928Employer $ per active participant
$452Employee $ saved per active participant
0.17%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$809.2MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity14.5 / 5029th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost5.7 / 2523th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving0.9 / 156th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score21 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 10,000+ active participants (70 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 29th |
| Lower admin cost | 23th |
| Employee saving | 6th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 39% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $1,599,009 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- National Veterinary Associates put in about $1,928 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,932). 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 (0.17% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.09%). 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 | $103,109,991 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $24,151,855 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $9,737,197 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $1,254,478 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $150,177 |
| Other admin expenses | $400 |
| Benefits paid out | $67,053,195 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $642.9M / $809.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 57,176 / 49,760 |
| Participants with account balances | 19,225 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Green Hansson Janks LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company O | $1,093,781 reported compensation |
| Usi Advisors Inc | $106,738 reported compensation |
| Empower Advisory Group, LLC | $53,334 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251013120611NAL0002786690001, received 2025-10-13, EIN 95-4578066, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.