Effingham Equity 401(k) Review & Grade
Effingham Equity Savings Plan & Trust
Effingham, ILWholesale Trade590 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$4,045Employer $ per active participant
$5,102Employee $ saved per active participant
0.04%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$80.0MNet plan assets, end of year
$103,020Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity41.7 / 5083th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost22.5 / 2590th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving8.5 / 1556th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score83 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Wholesale Trade plans with 500–2,499 active participants (603 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 83th |
| Lower admin cost | 90th |
| Employee saving | 56th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 53% |
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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
- Effingham Equity put in about $4,045 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,792). 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 | $2,388,764 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $3,012,809 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $253,216 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $31,259 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $25,346 |
| Benefits paid out | $8,744,857 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $70.3M / $80.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 564 / 617 |
| Participants with account balances | 777 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Plante Moran, PLLC |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $25,346 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $5,913 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250926143636NAL0010227264001, received 2025-09-26, EIN 37-0259470, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.