Braun Corporation 401(k) Review & Grade
Braun Corporation Profit Sharing and 401(k) Plan
Carmel, INManufacturing1,528 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$3,676Employer $ per active participant
$6,291Employee $ saved per active participant
0.17%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$122.8MNet plan assets, end of year
$67,924Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity35.4 / 5071th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost14.7 / 2559th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving10.1 / 1567th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score67 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 71th |
| Lower admin cost | 59th |
| Employee saving | 67th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $192 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Braun put in about $3,676 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,320). 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 | $5,616,228 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $9,613,335 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,106,575 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $199,265 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $199,265 |
| Benefits paid out | $15,106,049 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $107.2M / $122.8M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,618 / 1,438 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,808 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Armstrong & Reist Cpa's LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Edward Jones | $161,730 reported compensation |
| Mesirow Financial Investment Manage | $28,234 reported compensation |
| Armstrong & Reist Cpas, LLP | $9,300 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251009050747NAL0006522193001, received 2025-10-09, EIN 35-1282638, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.