Essendant 401(k) Review & Grade
Essendant 401(k) Savings Plan
Deerfield, ILWholesale Trade3,002 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,532Employer $ per active participant
$4,904Employee $ saved per active participant
0.06%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$412.5MNet plan assets, end of year
$105,666Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity15.2 / 5030th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost18.1 / 2572th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving5.9 / 1539th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score39 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Wholesale Trade plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (103 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 30th |
| Lower admin cost | 72th |
| Employee saving | 39th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 62% |
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Red flags from the filing
Benefits not paid when due: the plan reported failing to pay some benefits on time.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Essendant put in about $1,532 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,459). 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.
- 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 | $4,597,474 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $14,720,286 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $541,991 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $254,194 |
| Other admin expenses | $37,502 |
| Benefits paid out | $77,147,617 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $409.5M / $412.5M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 3,167 / 2,836 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,904 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | RSM US LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $161,111 reported compensation |
| Aon | $37,502 reported compensation |
| Vedder Price PC | $30,381 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015105718NAL0005859712001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 36-2431718, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.