Etech 401(k) Review & Grade
Etech Texas 401k Savings Plan
Nacogdoches, TXInformation804 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$463Employer $ per active participant
$846Employee $ saved per active participant
0.75%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$10.7MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity6.8 / 5014th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost2.8 / 2511th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving0.5 / 154th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-5 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score8 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Information plans with 500–2,499 active participants (310 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 14th |
| Lower admin cost | 11th |
| Employee saving | 4th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
Auditor disclaimer: the auditor issued a disclaimer of opinion.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Etech put in about $463 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.
- Direct plan expenses (0.75% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.23%). Check your annual fee disclosure, choose low-cost index funds if you can, and think about whether savings beyond the match belong in an IRA.
- 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 | $372,407 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $679,851 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | – |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $77,595 |
| Contract administrator fees | $77,595 |
| Benefits paid out | $1,156,633 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $9.8M / $10.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 739 / 868 |
| Participants with account balances | 274 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Mark Escoffery |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $77,594 reported compensation |
| Cadence Insurance, Inc. | $1,584 reported compensation |
| Morningstar Investment Management L | $0 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20260402145752NAL0003466835001, received 2026-04-02, EIN 45-3237969, plan #001, plan year 2024-07-01 to 2025-06-30. Verify at efast.dol.gov.