Helix Electric, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Helix Electric, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan
San Diego, CAConstruction2,931 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$3,913Employer $ per active participant
$3,808Employee $ saved per active participant
0.24%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$179.2MNet plan assets, end of year
$53,597Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity36.7 / 5073th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost7.3 / 2529th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving5.8 / 1539th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score57 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Construction plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (76 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 73th |
| Lower admin cost | 29th |
| Employee saving | 39th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 57% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $70,257 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Helix Electric put in about $3,913 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,965). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (0.24% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.12%). 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.
- 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 | $11,469,188 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $11,161,691 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,521,174 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $394,082 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $180,104 |
| Other admin expenses | $16,074 |
| Benefits paid out | $21,716,505 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $154.3M / $179.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 3,273 / 2,589 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,343 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Co | $369,722 reported compensation |
| CWM LLC | $180,104 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $41,323 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251013123913NAL0001318033001, received 2025-10-13, EIN 33-0124909, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.