Valley Strong Credit Union 401(k) Review & Grade
Valley Strong Credit Union Plan and Trust
Bakersfield, CAFinance & Insurance583 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$3,956Employer $ per active participant
$5,571Employee $ saved per active participant
0.04%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$44.7MNet plan assets, end of year
$63,374Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity27.5 / 5055th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost22.6 / 2590th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving4.5 / 1530th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score62 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Finance & Insurance plans with 500–2,499 active participants (754 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 55th |
| Lower admin cost | 90th |
| Employee saving | 30th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 62% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $4,007 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Valley Strong Credit Union put in about $3,956 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,606). 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 | $2,306,596 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $3,247,893 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $401,627 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $17,219 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $1,812 |
| Benefits paid out | $7,828,242 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $41.6M / $44.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 592 / 574 |
| Participants with account balances | 706 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Turner, Warren, Hwang & Conrad, Ac |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Schwab Retirement Plan Services Inc | $17,328 reported compensation |
| Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. | $0 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250717104104NAL0000050883004, received 2025-07-17, EIN 95-1652797, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.