Jim Beam Brands Co. 401(k) Review & Grade
Jim Beam Brands Company Union 401(k) Plan
Chicago, ILManufacturing668 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,829Employer $ per active participant
$4,668Employee $ saved per active participant
0.03%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$57.5MNet plan assets, end of year
$85,059Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity30.2 / 5060th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost23.5 / 2594th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.9 / 1546th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score64 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 60th |
| Lower admin cost | 94th |
| Employee saving | 46th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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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
- Jim Beam Brands put in about $2,829 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,320). 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.
- 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 | $1,889,926 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $3,117,939 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $35,817 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $13,642 |
| Benefits paid out | $3,759,259 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $49.2M / $57.5M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 687 / 649 |
| Participants with account balances | 676 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Grant Thornton LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Grant Thornton LLP | $25,410 reported compensation |
| Deloitte Tax LLP | $5,428 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | −$17,196 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014141447NAL0004210512004, received 2025-10-14, EIN 13-2581196, plan #006, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.