Kowalski Companies, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Kowalski Companies, Inc. 401(k) Plan for Union Employees
Edina, MNRetail Trade654 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,493Employer $ per active participant
$780Employee $ saved per active participant
0.01%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$15.8MNet plan assets, end of year
$29,656Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity37.7 / 5075th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost24.4 / 2598th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving1.6 / 1511th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score67 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Retail Trade plans with 500–2,499 active participants (719 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 75th |
| Lower admin cost | 98th |
| Employee saving | 11th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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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
- Kowalski Companies put in about $1,493 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($743). 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 | $976,860 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $510,388 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $116 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $1,530 |
| Contract administrator fees | $1,530 |
| Benefits paid out | $546,629 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $13.3M / $15.8M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 658 / 651 |
| Participants with account balances | 533 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Ds&b, LTD |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | $6,250 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251013152754NAL0000773555001, received 2025-10-13, EIN 41-1500646, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.