Cincinnati Bell Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Cincinnati Bell Inc. Savings and Security Plan
Cincinnati, OHManagement of Companies643 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$3,322Employer $ per active participant
$5,295Employee $ saved per active participant
0.05%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$110.4MNet plan assets, end of year
$161,653Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity29.2 / 5058th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost21.7 / 2587th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.8 / 1546th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score58 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Management of Companies plans with 500–2,499 active participants (172 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 58th |
| Lower admin cost | 87th |
| Employee saving | 46th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 58% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $4,933 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Cincinnati Bell put in about $3,322 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 | $2,136,251 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $3,404,819 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $29,427 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $54,618 |
| Benefits paid out | $12,990,384 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $100.9M / $110.4M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 676 / 610 |
| Participants with account balances | 683 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Clark, Schaefer, Hackett &co. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $54,618 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015072913NAL0004235041001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 31-1056105, plan #004, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.