Great Lakes Services, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Great Wolf Resorts 401(k) Plan
Chicago, ILReal Estate & Rental8,920 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$688Employer $ per active participant
$851Employee $ saved per active participant
0.48%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$62.2MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity14.3 / 5029th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost3.4 / 2514th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving1.5 / 1510th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-20 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score2 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Real Estate & Rental plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (50 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 29th |
| Lower admin cost | 14th |
| Employee saving | 10th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 46% |
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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 ($5,923,257 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Benefits not paid when due: the plan reported failing to pay some benefits on time.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Great Lakes Services put in about $688 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,141). 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 (0.48% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.12%). 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 | $6,134,334 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $7,587,964 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $803,361 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $258,382 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $71,372 |
| Other admin expenses | $51 |
| Benefits paid out | $5,387,672 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $46.2M / $62.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 4,977 / 12,864 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,874 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Cliftonlarsonallen LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $186,959 reported compensation |
| NFP Retirement Inc | $71,372 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251013171312NAL0003684546001, received 2025-10-13, EIN 27-1371313, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.