Ziff Davis, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Ziff Davis, Inc. Retirement Savings Plan
New York, NYInformation2,127 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,939Employer $ per active participant
$10,902Employee $ saved per active participant
0.08%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$272.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$72,123Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity15.4 / 5031th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost19.5 / 2578th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving9.7 / 1565th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score52 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Information plans with 500–2,499 active participants (310 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 31th |
| Lower admin cost | 78th |
| Employee saving | 65th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $2,290 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Ziff Davis put in about $1,939 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,829). 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 | $4,125,246 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $23,188,067 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $12,600,173 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $205,794 |
| Contract administrator fees | $1,200 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $87,976 |
| Other admin expenses | $157,173 |
| Benefits paid out | $23,526,441 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $221.3M / $272.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,140 / 2,114 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,780 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Rubinbrown LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC | $157,173 reported compensation |
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $87,976 reported compensation |
| Rubinbrown LLP | $30,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250904103559NAL0027229104001, received 2025-09-04, EIN 47-1053457, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.