Weather Shield MFG., Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
The Weather Shield Retirement Plan
Medford, WIManufacturing792 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$762Employer $ per active participant
$5,234Employee $ saved per active participant
0.21%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$89.0MNet plan assets, end of year
$73,399Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity5.9 / 5012th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost13.4 / 2554th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving8.2 / 1555th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score38 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 12th |
| Lower admin cost | 54th |
| Employee saving | 55th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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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
- Weather Shield MFG. put in about $762 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,320). 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 | $603,246 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $4,142,966 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $172,754 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $181,861 |
| Contract administrator fees | $43,803 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $95,027 |
| Benefits paid out | $13,880,746 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $88.3M / $89.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 822 / 761 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,213 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Hawkins Ash Cpas, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Francis Investment Counsel LLC | $95,027 reported compensation |
| Newport Group, Inc. | $76,159 reported compensation |
| Hawkins Ash Cpas, LLP | $10,675 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015163726NAL0005439857001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 39-0942408, plan #004, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.