Karsten Manufacturing Corporation 401(k) Review & Grade
Karsten Manufacturing Corporation and Subsidiaries 401(k) Plan
Phoenix, AZManufacturing1,090 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$4,466Employer $ per active participant
$10,033Employee $ saved per active participant
0.03%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$291.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$227,670Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity39.6 / 5079th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost23.2 / 2593th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.5 / 1590th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score83 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 79th |
| Lower admin cost | 93th |
| Employee saving | 90th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $31,049 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Karsten Manufacturing put in about $4,466 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.
- 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 | $4,870,414 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $10,940,989 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $366,300 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $83,499 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $21,460 |
| Benefits paid out | $23,708,528 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $263.9M / $291.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,072 / 1,109 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,281 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Eide Bailly |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Schwab Retirement Plan Services,inc | $83,472 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250728092221NAL0001761041001, received 2025-07-28, EIN 86-0210248, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.