Phaidon International (U.S.) Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Phaidon International 401(k) Plan
New York, NYAdministrative, Support & Staffing Services768 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$244Employer $ per active participant
$2,717Employee $ saved per active participant
1.69%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$8.2MNet plan assets, end of year
$18,811Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity15.4 / 5031th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost0.5 / 252th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving8.9 / 1560th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features0 / 10No auto-enrollment or default investment reported
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score22 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Administrative, Support & Staffing Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (401 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 31th |
| Lower admin cost | 2th |
| Employee saving | 60th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 27% |
Get the monthly 401(k) report card
The best and worst plans, new grades as filings post. One email a month, no spam.
Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $567 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Phaidon International (U.S.) put in about $244 per active participant, below the typical peer ($712). 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 (1.69% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.23%). 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 | $187,193 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,088,347 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $107,866 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $118,671 |
| Contract administrator fees | $118,671 |
| Benefits paid out | $1,071,209 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $5.9M / $8.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 904 / 633 |
| Participants with account balances | 434 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Lee CPA Audit Group |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $112,860 reported compensation |
| Janney Montgomery Scott LLC | $29,764 reported compensation |
| Associated Pension Consultants | $8,848 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250721094807NAL0001388288001, received 2025-07-21, EIN 99-0381737, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.