Washington Companies 401(k) Review & Grade
Washington Companies 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
Missoula, MTProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services1,664 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$4,646Employer $ per active participant
$7,378Employee $ saved per active participant
0.06%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$312.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$174,522Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity35.5 / 5071th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost21.2 / 2585th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving5.6 / 1537th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score65 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (1,469 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 71th |
| Lower admin cost | 85th |
| Employee saving | 37th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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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
- Washington Companies put in about $4,646 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,082). 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.
- 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 | $7,733,252 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $12,280,201 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,874,011 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $213,453 |
| Contract administrator fees | $900 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $121,459 |
| Benefits paid out | $175,874,110 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $417.8M / $312.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,112 / 1,217 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,791 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Eide Bailly LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $112,617 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $93,006 reported compensation |
| Sageview a | $8,842 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250903105051NAL0009355411001, received 2025-09-03, EIN 81-0485406, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.