Piedmont Airlines, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Piedmont Airlines Inc. 401k Savings Plan for Pilots
Salisbury, MDTransportation & Warehousing1,733 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,004Employer $ per active participant
$4,324Employee $ saved per active participant
0.07%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$85.7MNet plan assets, end of year
$64,809Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity35.9 / 5072th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost20.4 / 2582th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving10.0 / 1567th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score59 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Transportation & Warehousing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (392 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 72th |
| Lower admin cost | 82th |
| Employee saving | 67th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 37% |
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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 ($1,213 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
- Piedmont Airlines put in about $2,004 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,070). 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.
- 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 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 | $3,472,798 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $7,493,578 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,945,749 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $53,548 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $36,304 |
| Benefits paid out | $6,869,185 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $69.0M / $85.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,637 / 1,829 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,323 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Cbiz Cpas P.C. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $36,304 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $17,244 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014152454NAL0001579363001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 52-0970090, plan #005, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.