Empire Today, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Empire Today, LLC 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Northlake, ILConstruction1,642 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,062Employer $ per active participant
$3,161Employee $ saved per active participant
0.42%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$63.7MNet plan assets, end of year
$38,034Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity17.2 / 5034th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost7.2 / 2529th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.0 / 1540th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score30 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Construction plans with 500–2,499 active participants (498 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 34th |
| Lower admin cost | 29th |
| Employee saving | 40th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 44% |
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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 ($7,613 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Empire Today put in about $1,062 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,672). 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 (0.42% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.23%). 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 | $1,743,280 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $5,187,979 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $470,137 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $260,319 |
| Contract administrator fees | $43,885 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $68,812 |
| Other admin expenses | $650 |
| Benefits paid out | $10,415,450 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $60.2M / $63.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,569 / 1,714 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,674 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Grant Thornton LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company | $190,858 reported compensation |
| Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith | $68,812 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251003083750NAL0001157425001, received 2025-10-03, EIN 36-4281606, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.