Nelnet, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Nelnet 401(k) Plan
Lincoln, NEFinance & Insurance7,692 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,367Employer $ per active participant
$4,502Employee $ saved per active participant
0.10%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$755.2MNet plan assets, end of year
$72,285Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity8.1 / 5016th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost14.1 / 2556th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving1.1 / 157th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score30 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Finance & Insurance plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (199 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 16th |
| Lower admin cost | 56th |
| Employee saving | 7th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 66% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $1,494 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Nelnet put in about $2,367 per active participant, below the typical peer ($4,489). 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 | $18,211,419 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $34,632,561 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,727,881 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $736,190 |
| Benefits paid out | $76,418,273 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $674.1M / $755.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 7,953 / 7,432 |
| Participants with account balances | 10,447 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Lutz & Company |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Union Bank & Trust Company | $736,190 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250929161818NAL0005132835001, received 2025-09-29, EIN 84-0748903, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.