Kaizen Auto Care, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Kaizen Auto Care, LLC 401(k) Plan
Scottsdale, AZOther Services542 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,345Employer $ per active participant
$2,223Employee $ saved per active participant
1.70%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$7.0MNet plan assets, end of year
$19,584Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity26.2 / 5052th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost0.5 / 252th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.5 / 1543th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features0 / 10No auto-enrollment or default investment reported
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score20 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Other Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (333 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 52th |
| Lower admin cost | 2th |
| Employee saving | 43th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 40% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($351,709 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $16,699 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Kaizen Auto Care put in about $1,345 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.
- Direct plan expenses (1.70% 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.
- 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 | $729,163 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $1,205,132 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $411,014 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $103,653 |
| Contract administrator fees | $103,653 |
| Benefits paid out | $1,141,091 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $5.2M / $7.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 603 / 481 |
| Participants with account balances | 357 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Cliftonlarsonallen, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $90,084 reported compensation |
| Cetera Investment Advisers LLC | $15,933 reported compensation |
| Cetera Retirement Plan Specialists | $13,606 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251210143617NAL0005614208001, received 2025-12-10, EIN 46-4597239, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.