The Knot Worldwide 401(k) Review & Grade
The Knot Worldwide 401k Plan
Chevy Chase, MDInformation870 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,273Employer $ per active participant
$11,308Employee $ saved per active participant
0.21%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$86.3MNet plan assets, end of year
$63,575Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity11.2 / 5022th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost13.0 / 2552th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving10.1 / 1567th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score41 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Information plans with 500–2,499 active participants (310 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 22th |
| Lower admin cost | 52th |
| Employee saving | 67th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $1,544 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Knot Worldwide put in about $1,273 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,829). 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.
- 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 auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- 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 | $1,108,095 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $9,843,671 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,603,751 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $173,806 |
| Contract administrator fees | $173,806 |
| Benefits paid out | $13,879,569 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $76.2M / $86.3M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 918 / 823 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,357 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Citrin Cooperman and Company LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $173,806 reported compensation |
| Kestra Advisory Services, LLC | $40,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251007095330NAL0004399569001, received 2025-10-07, EIN 74-3207805, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.