Darling Ingredients Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Darling Ingredients Inc. Salaried 401(k) Savings Plan
Irving, TXManufacturing5,236 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$296Employer $ per active participant
$1,711Employee $ saved per active participant
0.13%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$236.8MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity1.4 / 503th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost12.2 / 2549th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving0.7 / 155th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score14 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (566 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 3th |
| Lower admin cost | 49th |
| Employee saving | 5th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 70% |
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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 ($1,700,206 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
- Darling Ingredients put in about $296 per active participant, below the typical peer ($3,452). 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.
- 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 | $1,550,041 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $8,959,933 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,185,603 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $289,711 |
| Contract administrator fees | $113,393 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $176,318 |
| Benefits paid out | $27,253,446 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $224.6M / $236.8M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 5,267 / 5,206 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,705 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | The CJ CPA Group, PLLC |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Cfo4life | $165,893 reported compensation |
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $113,393 reported compensation |
| Raymond James & Associates Inc | $11,250 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015192107NAL0002913603001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 36-2495346, plan #040, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.