Cincinnati Bell Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Cincinnati Bell Retirement Savings Plan
Cincinnati, OHManagement of Companies2,128 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$5,403Employer $ per active participant
$12,781Employee $ saved per active participant
0.04%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$506.2MNet plan assets, end of year
$180,265Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity39.8 / 5080th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost22.2 / 2589th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.8 / 1592th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score66 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Management of Companies plans with 500–2,499 active participants (172 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 80th |
| Lower admin cost | 89th |
| Employee saving | 92th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 58% |
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Red flags from the filing
Benefits not paid when due: the plan reported failing to pay some benefits on time.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $1,477 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Cincinnati Bell put in about $5,403 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,492). 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.
- 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 | $11,493,966 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $27,191,790 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,911,162 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $262,679 |
| Benefits paid out | $84,144,478 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $677.0M / $506.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,775 / 1,480 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,808 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Clark, Schaefer, Hackett & Co. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $262,679 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014150924NAL0001591411001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 31-1056105, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.