Cowles Company 401(k) Review & Grade
Cowles Company 401(k) Plan
Spokane, WAInformation661 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,632Employer $ per active participant
$4,281Employee $ saved per active participant
0.24%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$76.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$85,310Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity22.3 / 5045th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost12.2 / 2549th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving2.4 / 1516th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score47 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Information plans with 500–2,499 active participants (310 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 45th |
| Lower admin cost | 49th |
| Employee saving | 16th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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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
- Cowles put in about $2,632 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,829). 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.
- 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 | $1,739,443 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,829,953 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $5,088,109 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $169,678 |
| Contract administrator fees | $106,131 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $63,547 |
| Benefits paid out | $7,416,561 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $66.4M / $76.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 670 / 652 |
| Participants with account balances | 898 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Decoria Blair & Teague PS |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $106,131 reported compensation |
| D a Davidson & Co Inc | $63,579 reported compensation |
| Morningstar Investment Management L | $0 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251013143836NAL0001441921001, received 2025-10-13, EIN 91-0420030, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.