Brook & Whittle Limited 401(k) Review & Grade
Brook & Whittle Limited Section 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Guilford, CTManufacturing1,635 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,003Employer $ per active participant
$3,280Employee $ saved per active participant
0.42%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$91.9MNet plan assets, end of year
$46,915Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity8.5 / 5017th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost7.3 / 2529th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving4.0 / 1526th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score13 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 17th |
| Lower admin cost | 29th |
| Employee saving | 26th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($101,526 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Brook & Whittle Limited put in about $1,003 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,320). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (0.42% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.23%). Check your annual fee disclosure, choose low-cost index funds if you can, and think about whether savings beyond the match belong in an IRA.
- The plan reported late deposits of employee contributions. Compare your pay stubs with your account statements, and contact the plan administrator if money shows up late.
- 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 | $1,640,720 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $5,363,235 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $419,706 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $324,771 |
| Contract administrator fees | $442,280 |
| Other admin expenses | −$155,360 |
| Benefits paid out | $10,966,638 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $64.3M / $91.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,475 / 1,795 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,959 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | PKF O'connor Davies LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $80,849 reported compensation |
| Alera Investment Advisors LLC | $15,449 reported compensation |
| Orenda Retirement LLC | $8,400 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251114105148NAL0005937794001, received 2025-11-14, EIN 06-1452909, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.