American Civil Liberties Union, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Aclu Defined Contribution Plan
New York, NYOther Services1,932 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$5,151Employer $ per active participant
$9,710Employee $ saved per active participant
0.15%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$241.7MNet plan assets, end of year
$89,187Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity45.3 / 5091th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost15.7 / 2563th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving14.0 / 1593th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score75 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Other Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (333 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 91th |
| Lower admin cost | 63th |
| Employee saving | 93th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 40% |
Get the monthly 401(k) report card
The best and worst plans, new grades as filings post. One email a month, no spam.
Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($6,366,392 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
- American Civil Liberties Union put in about $5,151 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,257). 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 auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- 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 | $9,948,637 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $18,755,491 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,731,273 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $332,156 |
| Contract administrator fees | $332,156 |
| Benefits paid out | $16,107,740 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $196.7M / $241.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,923 / 1,940 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,710 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Bdo USA, P.C. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $332,156 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015160943NAL0010223378001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 13-3871360, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.