Air Methods LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Air Methods Corporation 401(k) Plan
Greenwood Village, COTransportation & Warehousing4,819 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$3,897Employer $ per active participant
$9,146Employee $ saved per active participant
0.08%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$633.9MNet plan assets, end of year
$118,108Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity38.1 / 5076th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost16.2 / 2565th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.0 / 1587th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score57 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Transportation & Warehousing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (123 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 76th |
| Lower admin cost | 65th |
| Employee saving | 87th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 46% |
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Red flags from the filing
Benefits not paid when due: the plan reported failing to pay some benefits on time.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $17,629 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Air Methods put in about $3,897 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,834). 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 | $18,778,544 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $44,073,320 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $6,748,734 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $469,044 |
| Contract administrator fees | $3,600 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $407,656 |
| Benefits paid out | $71,406,167 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $553.3M / $633.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 4,725 / 4,913 |
| Participants with account balances | 5,367 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Bdo Usa,p.c. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $407,656 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $61,388 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251007105953NAL0002404691001, received 2025-10-07, EIN 84-0915893, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.