Citizens Equity First Credit Union 401(k) Review & Grade
Cefcu Deferred Compensation Plan and Trust
Peoria, ILFinance & Insurance979 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,275Employer $ per active participant
$4,039Employee $ saved per active participant
0.03%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$145.1MNet plan assets, end of year
$129,522Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity5.9 / 5012th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost23.5 / 2594th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving2.0 / 1513th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score34 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Finance & Insurance plans with 500–2,499 active participants (754 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 12th |
| Lower admin cost | 94th |
| Employee saving | 13th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 62% |
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Red flags from the filing
No red flags were reported on this filing's compliance questions.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Citizens Equity First Credit Union put in about $1,275 per active participant, below the typical peer ($3,606). 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.
- 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 | $1,248,513 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $3,954,359 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $144,483 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $33,969 |
| Contract administrator fees | $2,700 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $12,769 |
| Benefits paid out | $8,065,763 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $124.6M / $145.1M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 971 / 987 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,120 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Cliftonlarsonallen LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $21,200 reported compensation |
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $12,770 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250716095958NAL0006540098001, received 2025-07-16, EIN 37-6028123, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.