Epes Transport System, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Epes Transport System 401(k) Retirement Plan
Greensboro, NCTransportation & Warehousing1,338 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$705Employer $ per active participant
$2,795Employee $ saved per active participant
0.74%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$34.3MNet plan assets, end of year
$30,564Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity18.4 / 5037th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost3.0 / 2512th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.9 / 1546th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score21 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Transportation & Warehousing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (392 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 37th |
| Lower admin cost | 12th |
| Employee saving | 46th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 37% |
Get the monthly 401(k) report card
The best and worst plans, new grades as filings post. One email a month, no spam.
Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($255,287 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
- Epes Transport System put in about $705 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,070). 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 (0.74% 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 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 | $943,892 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $3,740,918 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $53,334 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $250,238 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $12,935 |
| Other admin expenses | $146,015 |
| Benefits paid out | $8,015,245 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $33.7M / $34.3M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,362 / 1,315 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,123 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Deloitte & Touche Llpd |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $103,715 reported compensation |
| Transamerica Financial Solutions | $48,313 reported compensation |
| Deloitte and Touche, LLP | $47,700 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251124152716NAL0002056737001, received 2025-11-24, EIN 54-0409030, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.