Bernhard, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Bernhard, LLC 401(k) Plan · d/b/a Bernhard LLC
Metairie, LAConstruction1,917 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,705Employer $ per active participant
$5,891Employee $ saved per active participant
0.13%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$139.9MNet plan assets, end of year
$88,518Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity36.0 / 5072th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost16.8 / 2567th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving11.0 / 1574th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score64 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Construction plans with 500–2,499 active participants (498 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 72th |
| Lower admin cost | 67th |
| Employee saving | 74th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 44% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $273 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Bernhard put in about $2,705 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,672). 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.
- 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 | $5,186,325 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $11,292,260 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,818,037 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $165,673 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $57,092 |
| Benefits paid out | $12,923,536 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $114.9M / $139.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,811 / 2,023 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,580 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Eisneramper LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $108,581 reported compensation |
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $57,092 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251009112553NAL0011355792001, received 2025-10-09, EIN 46-5737559, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.