Gold Standard Enterprises, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Gold Standard Enterprises, Inc. 401(k) Plan
Niles, ILRetail Trade1,602 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$925Employer $ per active participant
$1,520Employee $ saved per active participant
0.55%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$35.4MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity29.1 / 5058th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost5.0 / 2520th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving3.7 / 1525th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score38 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Retail Trade plans with 500–2,499 active participants (719 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 58th |
| Lower admin cost | 20th |
| Employee saving | 25th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $27,124 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Gold Standard Enterprises put in about $925 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($743). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (0.55% 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.
- 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 | $1,480,988 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,433,882 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $196,044 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $175,759 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $25,000 |
| Benefits paid out | $975,562 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $28.2M / $35.4M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,608 / 1,595 |
| Participants with account balances | 666 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Caron & Bletzer, PLLC |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Transamerica Retirement Solutions | $92,177 reported compensation |
| Gallagher Fiduciary Advisors LLC | $25,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015085755NAL0002050739002, received 2025-10-15, EIN 36-2131183, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.