Adams Beverages, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Adams Beverages 401(k)plan
Dothan, ALWholesale Trade669 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$786Employer $ per active participant
$2,262Employee $ saved per active participant
0.73%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$20.3MNet plan assets, end of year
$59,333Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity8.3 / 5017th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost3.0 / 2512th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving2.1 / 1514th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score13 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Wholesale Trade plans with 500–2,499 active participants (603 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 17th |
| Lower admin cost | 12th |
| Employee saving | 14th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 53% |
Get the monthly 401(k) report card
The best and worst plans, new grades as filings post. One email a month, no spam.
Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $34,284 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Adams Beverages put in about $786 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,792). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (0.73% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.23%). Check your annual fee disclosure, choose low-cost index funds if you can, and think about whether savings beyond the match belong in an IRA.
- 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 | $525,501 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $1,513,526 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $50,094 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $143,376 |
| Contract administrator fees | $143,376 |
| Benefits paid out | $2,974,738 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $18.9M / $20.3M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 672 / 666 |
| Participants with account balances | 342 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Bennett Thrasher LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $117,777 reported compensation |
| Cambridge Investment Research Advis | $44,997 reported compensation |
| Ascensus, LLC | $18,382 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250903104938NAL0015303249001, received 2025-09-03, EIN 63-0733351, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.