Behlen MFG. Co. 401(k) Review & Grade
Behlen MFG. Co. 401(k) Plan
Columbus, NEManufacturing922 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,391Employer $ per active participant
$4,274Employee $ saved per active participant
0.20%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$79.3MNet plan assets, end of year
$62,495Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity25.8 / 5052th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost13.5 / 2554th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.1 / 1541th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score55 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 52th |
| Lower admin cost | 54th |
| Employee saving | 41th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
Get the monthly 401(k) report card
The best and worst plans, new grades as filings post. One email a month, no spam.
Red flags from the filing
No red flags were reported on this filing's compliance questions.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Behlen MFG. put in about $2,391 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,320). 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 | $2,205,942 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $3,942,654 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $662,156 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $154,504 |
| Contract administrator fees | $122,564 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $31,940 |
| Benefits paid out | $11,069,325 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $73.9M / $79.3M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 933 / 912 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,269 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Forvis Mazars, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| John Hancock | $124,504 reported compensation |
| D. A. Davidson & Co. | $30,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014160733NAL0006798738001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 47-0670369, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.