Alter Companies, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Alter 401(k) Retirement Plan
Creve Coeur, MOWholesale Trade1,315 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,650Employer $ per active participant
$6,599Employee $ saved per active participant
0.19%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$131.0MNet plan assets, end of year
$83,500Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity22.9 / 5046th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost13.9 / 2556th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving11.2 / 1575th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score55 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Wholesale Trade plans with 500–2,499 active participants (603 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 46th |
| Lower admin cost | 56th |
| Employee saving | 75th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 53% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $1,747 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Alter Companies put in about $1,650 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,792). 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 | $2,169,350 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $8,677,175 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,585,187 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $236,317 |
| Contract administrator fees | $147,462 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $88,855 |
| Benefits paid out | $13,716,534 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $114.9M / $131.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,249 / 1,381 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,569 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | RSM US LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $147,462 reported compensation |
| Onedigital Investment Ad | $88,855 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251006140509NAL0006209824001, received 2025-10-06, EIN 48-1291659, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.