California › Educational services › 250 to 499 participants
Form 5500 statement · plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024
California Western School of Law Defined Contribution Retirement Plan
Sponsored by California Western School of Law, San Diego, CA
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.
California Western School of Law of San Diego, California sponsors California Western School of Law Defined Contribution Retirement Plan, a 403(b) plan. Its Form 5500 for the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024 shows 354 participants (110 active) and $72.4M in net assets.
Net assets came to $204,421 per participant, well above the $48,746 median for defined contribution plans with 250 to 499 participants and well above 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 $755K during the year, or $6,864 per active participant against a same-size median of $2,017; participants contributed $999K and $744K arrived as rollovers and other contributions. Benefits paid out totalled $8.8M.
Schedule C lists 4 service provider organisations paid $5,000 or more, with reported compensation of $89K: $253 per participant, well above the same-size median of $141. Administrative expenses charged to the plan were $89K. 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 $36.6M in 2009 to $72.4M in 2024 (up 97%), and participants from 536 to 354 (down 34%).
The independent accountant's opinion on the financial statements was disclaimer, 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 | This plan | Same size | Same industry | All US DC plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $204,421 | $48,746 | $73,018 | $53,102 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $6,864 | $2,017 | $2,838 | $2,175 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $253 | $141 | $95.66 | $123 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.12% | 0.30% | 0.13% | 0.26% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $253 | $133 | $89.26 | $116 |
Peer columns are medians for plan year 2024 across defined contribution plans with 100 or more participants: 250 to 499 participants (17,456 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 354 | $72.4M | $204,421 | $755K | $999K | $89K |
| 2023 | 396 | $71.0M | $179,177 | $813K | $1.1M | $80K |
| 2022 | 399 | $64.4M | $161,313 | $884K | $1.1M | $78K |
| 2021 | 396 | $78.9M | $199,207 | $869K | $1.2M | $61K |
| 2020 | 378 | $73.5M | $194,519 | $925K | $1.2M | $73K |
| 2019 | 373 | $71.1M | $190,582 | $919K | $1.2M | $60K |
| 2018 | 368 | $63.6M | $172,739 | $891K | $1.2M | $23K |
| 2017 | 362 | $69.1M | $190,901 | $852K | $1.1M | $15K |
| 2016 | 344 | $63.2M | $183,680 | $860K | $1.1M | $39K |
| 2015 | 335 | $59.8M | $178,472 | $857K | $1.2M | $30K |
| 2014 | 331 | $58.4M | $176,360 | $877K | $1.2M | $15K |
| 2013 | 321 | $58.6M | $182,607 | $1.2M | $1.3M | $15K |
| 2012 | 321 | $49.9M | $155,368 | $1.2M | $1.2M | $0 |
| 2011 | 334 | $42.9M | $128,440 | $1.2M | $1.1M | $0 |
| 2010 | 334 | $42.3M | $126,539 | $1.2M | $1.1M | $0 |
| 2009 | 536 | $36.6M | $68,368 | $1.1M | $1.1M | $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$70,954,263
- Employer contributions$755,048
- Participant contributions$999,081
- Rollovers and other contributions$744,340
- Total contributions$2,498,469
- Total income, including investment results$10,264,113
- Benefits paid$8,763,799
- Administrative expenses$89,478
- Total expenses$8,853,277
- Net income$1,410,836
- Net transfers$0
- Net assets, end of year$72,365,099
Participants
- Active participants110
- Retired or separated, receiving benefits0
- Retired or separated, entitled to future benefits243
- Participants with account balances354
- Total participants, end of year354
Fees and service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| TIAA | Recordkeeping and information management; Consulting (pension); Investment advisory (plan); Investment management; Participant communication | $43,478 | $0 |
| Alerus Financial | Investment advisory (plan) | $22,500 | $0 |
| West, Rhode & Roberts | Accounting (including auditing) | $16,000 | $0 |
| Alerus Investment Advisors | Investment management | $7,500 | $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
- Recordkeeping fees$43,183
- Investment advisory and management fees$30,295
- IQPA audit fees$16,000
- Total administrative expenses$89,478
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.
- Registered investment companies (mutual funds)$46.8M · 64.7%
- Insurance company general account$23.2M · 32.0%
- Pooled separate accounts$2.2M · 3.0%
- Receivables$81K · 0.1%
- Other investments$46K · 0.1%
- Participant loans$42K · 0.1%
Audit and compliance answers, as filed
- Accountant's opinionDisclaimer
- Audit scope limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C)Yes
- Accounting firmWest, Rhode & Roberts
- Participant contributions reported as transmitted lateNo
- Covered by a fidelity bondYes, $1,000,000
- 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
2GTotal participant-directed account plan2LCode section 403(b)(1) arrangement (annuity contracts)2MCode section 403(b)(7) accounts (custodial accounts for regulated investment company stock)2TTotal or partial participant-directed account plan with a default investment account
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 California
| Plan | Sponsor | Participants | Net assets | Per participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanbridge University 401(k) Plan | Stanbridge University | 355 | $9.6M | $27,038 |
| Palo Alto University, Inc. Combined 403(b) Plan | Palo Alto University, Inc. | 348 | $34.0M | $97,578 |
| Safe-Harbor 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan for Employees of Plaza de la Raza Child Development Services, Inc. | Plaza de la Raza Child Developmental Services, Inc. | 359 | $47.2M | $131,485 |
| Aztec Shops, Ltd. Retirement Plan | Aztec Shops, Ltd. | 343 | $5.5M | $16,165 |
| Pacific Charter Institute 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Pacific Charter Institute | 360 | $10.2M | $28,274 |
| Heights Christian School 403(b) Plan | Heights Christian Schools | 341 | $7.4M | $21,630 |
Defined contribution plans in educational services closest in size.
Questions and answers
How big is California Western School of Law Defined Contribution Retirement Plan?
354 participants at the end of the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024, of whom 110 were active employees, with net assets of $72,365,099. Among defined contribution plans that places it in the 250 to 499 participants band, which held 17,456 plans in plan year 2024.
What does California Western School of Law contribute per participant?
The filing reports $755,048 in employer contributions for the year, which is $6,864 per active participant; the median for plans of the same type and size was $2,017 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 $89,478 in compensation to service provider organisations, $253 per participant or 0.12% of net assets. The same-size median among plans reporting any Schedule C compensation was $141 per participant. Administrative expenses on Schedule H were $89,478. 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 California Western School of Law. Recordkeeping or administration: TIAA. Investment advisory or management: TIAA, Alerus Financial and Alerus Investment Advisors. The financial statements were audited by West, Rhode & Roberts. 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 disclaimer opinion from a limited-scope audit, in which the accountant did not audit investment information certified by a bank or insurance company. A disclaimer of opinion was the usual result of a limited-scope audit under the rules in force before 2021 and is not by itself a finding about the plan.
How current is this, and does it show my balance?
This is the Form 5500 for the plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024, received by the Department of Labor on 15 Sep 2025. 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 95-2944594, plan 001, received 15 Sep 2025; 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.