Thunder Valley Casino 401(k) Review & Grade
Thunder Valley Casino 401(k) Retirement Plan
Lincoln, CAAccommodation & Food Services2,188 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,489Employer $ per active participant
$2,931Employee $ saved per active participant
0.30%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$84.0MNet plan assets, end of year
$39,863Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity46.4 / 5093th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost10.1 / 2540th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.8 / 1592th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score70 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Accommodation & Food Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (458 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 93th |
| Lower admin cost | 40th |
| Employee saving | 92th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 17% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $24,404 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Thunder Valley Casino put in about $1,489 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($266). 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 | $3,258,046 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $6,414,416 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $103,643 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $235,517 |
| Benefits paid out | $9,040,998 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $73.1M / $84.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,125 / 2,252 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,108 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Transamerica Retirement Solutions | $235,517 reported compensation |
| National Financial Services | $0 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250927165059NAL0023946866001, received 2025-09-27, EIN 57-1136913, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.