Belcan, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Belcan Retirement Savings Plan
Blue Ash, OHProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services4,064 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,186Employer $ per active participant
$4,139Employee $ saved per active participant
0.31%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$299.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$56,058Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity11.7 / 5023th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost5.5 / 2522th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving3.4 / 1523th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score18 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (231 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 23th |
| Lower admin cost | 22th |
| Employee saving | 23th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 47% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($584,245 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $127,983 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Belcan put in about $1,186 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,951). 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 (0.31% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.12%). 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.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- The plan reported late deposits of employee contributions. Compare your pay stubs with your account statements, and contact the plan administrator if money shows up late.
- 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 | $4,819,113 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $16,820,617 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,510,597 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $885,854 |
| Other admin expenses | $885,854 |
| Benefits paid out | $33,285,669 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $275.0M / $299.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 4,110 / 4,017 |
| Participants with account balances | 5,345 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and S | $335,784 reported compensation |
| Keating, Muething & Klekamp PLL | $155,807 reported compensation |
| Creative Planning, Lockton Retireme | $71,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015100803NAL0002124675001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 31-1312684, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.