VLS Environmental Solutions LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
VLS Environmental Solutions LLC 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and T
Houston, TXAdministrative, Support & Staffing Services1,056 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$3,417Employer $ per active participant
$4,451Employee $ saved per active participant
0.36%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$47.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$41,294Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity45.8 / 5092th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost8.6 / 2534th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving11.1 / 1574th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score76 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Administrative, Support & Staffing Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (401 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 92th |
| Lower admin cost | 34th |
| Employee saving | 74th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 27% |
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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
- VLS Environmental Solutions put in about $3,417 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($712). 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 (0.36% 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.
- 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 | $3,608,323 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $4,700,174 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,880,898 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $135,058 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $100,277 |
| Benefits paid out | $2,631,313 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $27.7M / $47.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,010 / 1,102 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,153 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Bdo USA P.C. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Ubs Financial Services, Inc. | $100,277 reported compensation |
| Adp, Inc. | $34,781 reported compensation |
| Adp Broker-Dealer | $0 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015095517NAL0002108131001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 26-1573764, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.