Methodist Retirement Communities 401(k) Review & Grade
Methodist Retirement Communities & Its Affiliated Organizations Associates 401(k) Plan
The Woodlands, TXHealth Care & Social Assistance942 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$690Employer $ per active participant
$1,246Employee $ saved per active participant
0.89%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$12.1MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity20.9 / 5042th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost2.0 / 258th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving4.2 / 1528th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score27 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Health Care & Social Assistance plans with 500–2,499 active participants (1,427 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 42th |
| Lower admin cost | 8th |
| Employee saving | 28th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 36% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $49,841 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Methodist Retirement Communities put in about $690 per active participant, below the typical peer ($976). 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 (0.89% 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 | $649,504 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $1,172,844 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $15,624 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $99,047 |
| Contract administrator fees | $55,273 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $31,443 |
| Benefits paid out | $929,827 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $10.1M / $12.1M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,010 / 873 |
| Participants with account balances | 468 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Cliftonlarsonallen LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Ballew Advisors, Inc. | $31,443 reported compensation |
| Compensation Strategies Group, LTD. | $12,331 reported compensation |
| John Hancock Life Insurance Co USA | $9,718 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250707205237NAL0002227603001, received 2025-07-07, EIN 74-1403088, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.