Ernst Enterprises, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Ernst Enterprises Retirement Savings Plan
Vandalia, OHConstruction1,116 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$13,504Employer $ per active participant
$5,236Employee $ saved per active participant
0.03%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$122.0MNet plan assets, end of year
$100,189Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity49.2 / 5098th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost23.5 / 2594th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving10.1 / 1567th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score93 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Construction plans with 500–2,499 active participants (498 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 98th |
| Lower admin cost | 94th |
| Employee saving | 67th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 44% |
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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
- Ernst Enterprises put in about $13,504 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,672). 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.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- 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 | $15,070,404 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $5,843,071 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $466,047 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $28,775 |
| Benefits paid out | $13,182,468 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $103.1M / $122.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,109 / 1,123 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,218 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Kentner Sellers |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and S | $28,775 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250910103350NAL0044990434001, received 2025-09-10, EIN 31-1031307, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.