Lancaster Colony Corporation 401(k) Review & Grade
Lancaster Colony Corporation 401(k) Plan
Westerville, OHManufacturing2,730 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,414Employer $ per active participant
$4,083Employee $ saved per active participant
0.03%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$146.3MNet plan assets, end of year
$38,307Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity17.8 / 5036th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost21.9 / 2588th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving3.8 / 1525th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score51 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (566 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 36th |
| Lower admin cost | 88th |
| Employee saving | 25th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 70% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $254 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Lancaster Colony put in about $2,414 per active participant, below the typical peer ($3,452). 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.
- 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 | $6,591,859 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $11,149,730 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,078,810 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $47,234 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $23,084 |
| Benefits paid out | $14,352,583 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $125.1M / $146.3M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,661 / 2,800 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,819 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Cbiz Cpas P,C |
| Employer stock held by plan | $7,009,696 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Schwab Retirement Plan Services Inc | $47,234 reported compensation |
| Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. | $0 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251003141856NAL0002441968002, received 2025-10-03, EIN 13-1955943, plan #004, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.