Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP 401(k) Review & Grade
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP Savings and Retirement Plan
Boston, MAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services1,766 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$11,798Employer $ per active participant
$18,281Employee $ saved per active participant
0.03%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$1.2BNet plan assets, end of year
$351,615Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity46.9 / 5094th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost23.0 / 2592th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving14.6 / 1597th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score92 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (1,469 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 94th |
| Lower admin cost | 92th |
| Employee saving | 97th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $1,146 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP put in about $11,798 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,082). 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.
- 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 | $20,830,231 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $32,275,063 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $9,077,607 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $389,353 |
| Contract administrator fees | $238,717 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $97,117 |
| Benefits paid out | $81,263,978 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $1.1B / $1.2B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,768 / 1,763 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,466 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Pricewaterhousecoopers, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| John Hancock Retirement Plan Srvs | $228,655 reported compensation |
| Fiducient Advisors | $95,000 reported compensation |
| Pricewaterhousecoopers LLP | $53,519 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250711094342NAL0006188705001, received 2025-07-11, EIN 04-1409810, plan #004, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.