Aspire Bakeries LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Aspire Bakeries LLC Retirement Plan
Los Angeles, CAManufacturing2,501 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,848Employer $ per active participant
$3,325Employee $ saved per active participant
0.17%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$168.2MNet plan assets, end of year
$82,389Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity12.7 / 5025th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost10.1 / 2541th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving2.6 / 1517th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score28 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (566 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 25th |
| Lower admin cost | 41th |
| Employee saving | 17th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 70% |
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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
- Aspire Bakeries put in about $1,848 per active participant, below the typical peer ($3,452). 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.
- 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 | $4,621,553 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $8,317,017 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,359,407 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $268,874 |
| Contract administrator fees | $268,874 |
| Benefits paid out | $22,249,060 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $155.3M / $168.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,433 / 2,569 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,041 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $274,716 reported compensation |
| Sageview Advisory Group | $73,125 reported compensation |
| Moss Adams LLP | $27,300 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251002153656NAL0001031040001, received 2025-10-02, EIN 94-2536513, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.