Michigan › Educational services › 100 to 249 participants
Form 5500 statement · plan year 1 Jan 2025 to 31 Dec 2025
Black Pearl Educational Services, LLC 401(k) Plan
Sponsored by Black Pearl Educational Services, LLC, Byron Center, MI
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. Form 5500 contains no individual account balances. Look up the original filing at EFAST2.
In the plan year ending 31 Dec 2025, Black Pearl Educational Services, LLC 401(k) Plan covered 195 participants and held $16.2M in net assets. The plan is a 401(k) plan sponsored by Black Pearl Educational Services, LLC of Byron Center, Michigan.
Net assets came to $75,848 per participant in plan year 2024, well above the $60,185 median for defined contribution plans with 100 to 249 participants and close to the $73,018 median for defined contribution plans in educational services. The figure is an average across everyone in the plan, including former employees with small balances; Form 5500 holds no individual account data.
The employer contributed $594K during the year, or $4,043 per active participant against a same-size median of $2,447; participants contributed $482K and $11K arrived as rollovers and other contributions. Benefits paid out totalled $1.5M.
Schedule C lists 2 service provider organisations paid $5,000 or more, with reported compensation of $9,375: $48.08 per participant, well below the same-size median of $194. Administrative expenses charged to the plan were $79K. Schedule C does not capture every cost: fees netted from fund returns and fees the employer pays directly are outside it.
Across the filings on record, net assets went from $6.9M in 2017 to $16.2M in 2025 (up 135%), and participants from 133 to 195 (up 47%).
The independent accountant's opinion on the financial statements was unmodified (unqualified), from an audit whose scope was limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C) to exclude investment information certified by a bank or insurer.
Compared with similar plans
| Measure, plan year 2024 | This plan | Same size | Same industry | All US DC plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $75,848 | $60,185 | $73,018 | $53,102 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $3,862 | $2,447 | $2,838 | $2,175 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $47.05 | $194 | $95.66 | $123 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.06% | 0.32% | 0.13% | 0.26% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $384 | $176 | $89.26 | $116 |
Peer columns are medians for plan year 2024 across defined contribution plans with 100 or more participants: 100 to 249 participants (21,996 plans), educational services (2,753) and all US plans (63,460). Fee medians cover plans that report an amount.
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Schedule C compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 195 | $16.2M | $83,174 | $594K | $482K | $9,000 |
| 2024 | 189 | $14.3M | $75,847 | $537K | $427K | $9,000 |
| 2023 | 197 | $12.5M | $63,701 | $465K | $398K | $7,000 |
| 2022 | 178 | $12.2M | $68,494 | $450K | $402K | $5,000 |
| 2021 | 169 | $14.0M | $83,006 | $429K | $382K | $3,000 |
| 2020 | 156 | $12.2M | $78,391 | $653K | $397K | $0 |
| 2019 | 204 | $9.4M | $46,064 | $427K | $407K | $0 |
| 2018 | 179 | $7.3M | $40,693 | $430K | $426K | $0 |
| 2017 | 133 | $6.9M | $51,850 | $390K | $333K | $0 |
Years in which the plan filed the full Form 5500 with 100 or more participants, from 2009. Plan year is the year in which the plan year began.
Statement for the year
- Net assets, beginning of year$14,335,277
- Employer contributions$594,299
- Participant contributions$482,213
- Rollovers and other contributions$11,468
- Total contributions$1,087,980
- Total income, including investment results$3,423,201
- Benefits paid$1,459,713
- Administrative expenses$79,342
- Total expenses$1,539,055
- Net income$1,884,146
- Net transfers$0
- Net assets, end of year$16,219,423
Participants
- Active participants147
- Retired or separated, receiving benefits0
- Retired or separated, entitled to future benefits48
- Participants with account balances167
- Total participants, end of year195
Fees and service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northstar Fiduciary Partners | Investment advisory (participants) | $6,051 | $0 |
| John Hancock Life Insurance Company | Recordkeeping and information management; Investment management | $3,324 | $0 |
Schedule C, Part I line 2: providers that received $5,000 or more, with the form's own service codes. Individuals named on Schedule C (plan employees, individual trustees) are never shown and their compensation is excluded. Eligible indirect compensation disclosed by formula carries no dollar amount. See how to read Schedule C fees.
Administrative expenses on Schedule H
- Contract administrator fees$73,291
- Investment advisory and management fees$6,051
- Total administrative expenses$79,342
Investment structure
Assets at year end by Schedule H category. The form shows the kind of vehicle holding the money, not the funds on the menu.
- Pooled separate accounts$15.9M · 98.1%
- Receivables$315K · 1.9%
- Participant loans$1,227 · 0.0%
- Cash (interest and non-interest bearing)$96 · 0.0%
Audit and compliance answers, as filed
- Accountant's opinionUnmodified (unqualified)
- Audit scope limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C)Yes
- Accounting firmMeyaard Tolman & Venlet, P.C.
- Participant contributions reported as transmitted lateNo
- Covered by a fidelity bondYes, $500,000
- Blackout period during the yearNo
These are the plan administrator's own answers on Schedule H, Part IV. A reported late transmittal is the filer's disclosure of a timing lapse, usually corrected through the Department of Labor's voluntary program; the amount is the total involved, not a loss.
Plan characteristics
2AAge/service weighted or new comparability or similar plan2EProfit-sharing plan2FERISA section 404(c) plan2GTotal participant-directed account plan2JCode section 401(k) feature2KCode section 401(m) arrangement3DPre-approved pension plan
Codes entered on Form 5500 line 8a, with the labels from the official instructions. Business code 611000: Educational Services (including schools, colleges, & universities).
Similar plans in Michigan
| Plan | Sponsor | Participants | Net assets | Per participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research 403(b) DC Plan | W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research | 204 | $50.3M | $246,535 |
| The Roeper School Savings and Match Plan | Roeper City and Country School DBA the Roeper School | 193 | $21.3M | $110,105 |
| Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit Tax Shelter Annuity Plan | Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit | 207 | $21.1M | $101,957 |
| American Concrete Institute 403(b) Plan | American Concrete Institute | 180 | $35.4M | $196,421 |
| Holland Christian Schools 403(b) Plan | Holland Christian Education Society | 210 | $7.3M | $34,928 |
| Baraga Houghton Keweenaw Child Development Board 403(b) Plan | Baraga Houghton Keweenaw Child Development Board | 171 | $7.8M | $45,894 |
Defined contribution plans in educational services closest in size.
Questions and answers
How big is Black Pearl Educational Services, LLC 401(k) Plan?
195 participants at the end of the plan year ending 31 Dec 2025, of whom 147 were active employees, with net assets of $16,219,423. Among defined contribution plans that places it in the 100 to 249 participants band, which held 21,996 plans in plan year 2024.
What does Black Pearl Educational Services, LLC contribute per participant?
The filing reports $594,299 in employer contributions for the year, which is $4,043 per active participant; the median for plans of the same type and size was $2,447 in plan year 2024. Form 5500 reports the total only. It does not state the match formula, and the per-participant figure is an average, not any one person's contribution.
What fees does the plan pay and how do they compare?
Schedule C reports $9,375 in compensation to service provider organisations, $48.08 per participant or 0.06% of net assets. The same-size median among plans reporting any Schedule C compensation was $194 per participant. Administrative expenses on Schedule H were $79,342. Investment costs deducted inside mutual funds and other pooled vehicles are not itemised on Form 5500, so these figures are a floor rather than a full cost.
Who runs the plan?
The sponsor is Black Pearl Educational Services, LLC. Recordkeeping or administration: John Hancock Life Insurance Company. Investment advisory or management: Northstar Fiduciary Partners and John Hancock Life Insurance Company. The financial statements were audited by Meyaard Tolman & Venlet, P.C.. Form 5500 also names the plan administrator's signer and other individuals; this site publishes organisations only.
Was the audit opinion unqualified?
The filing reports an unmodified (unqualified) opinion from a limited-scope audit, in which the accountant did not audit investment information certified by a bank or insurance company. Unmodified (formerly "unqualified") is the standard clean opinion.
How current is this, and does it show my balance?
This is the Form 5500 for the plan year 1 Jan 2025 to 31 Dec 2025, received by the Department of Labor on 14 Jul 2026. Filings are due seven months after the plan year ends, or nine and a half with an extension, so the public record always runs a year or more behind. It contains plan-level totals only: no individual balances, contributions or names of participants exist in the data.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files (Form 5500, Schedule H, Schedule C) for plan years 2009 to 2025, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. This page shows the latest filing on record for EIN 81-4286951, plan 001, received 14 Jul 2026; an amended filing replaces it at the next build. Medians and percentiles are computed by this site; see the methodology. Report an error through corrections.