Hand & Stone Franchise Corp 401(k) Review & Grade
Hand and Stone Franchise 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust
Feasterville-Trevose, PAOther Services672 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$500Employer $ per active participant
$841Employee $ saved per active participant
1.01%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$4.8MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity14.5 / 5029th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost1.6 / 256th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving3.0 / 1520th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score9 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Other Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (333 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 29th |
| Lower admin cost | 6th |
| Employee saving | 20th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 40% |
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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 ($262,260 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $14,349 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Hand & Stone Franchise put in about $500 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,257). 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 (1.01% 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 | $335,906 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $564,529 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $171,493 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $44,491 |
| Contract administrator fees | $44,491 |
| Benefits paid out | $808,248 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $4.0M / $4.8M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 597 / 746 |
| Participants with account balances | 162 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Kronick Kalada Berdy & Co., P.C. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $44,490 reported compensation |
| Ameriprise Financial Services Inc | $11,386 reported compensation |
| Ameriprise Financial Services Inc | $8,904 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251010151847NAL0012882000001, received 2025-10-10, EIN 20-2760811, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.