GWS Holdings 401(k) Review & Grade
GWS Holdings 401(k) Plan
Tavares, FLManufacturing544 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,789Employer $ per active participant
$3,224Employee $ saved per active participant
0.51%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$22.2MNet plan assets, end of year
$46,844Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity18.9 / 5038th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost5.7 / 2523th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving3.9 / 1526th 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: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 38th |
| Lower admin cost | 23th |
| Employee saving | 26th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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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 ($5,822 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
- GWS Holdings put in about $1,789 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,320). 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 (0.51% 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 | $972,263 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $1,752,255 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $167,651 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $107,296 |
| Contract administrator fees | $3,800 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $48,677 |
| Benefits paid out | $3,241,763 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $20.2M / $22.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 551 / 536 |
| Participants with account balances | 474 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Plancheck Cpa's LLC |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company O | $54,819 reported compensation |
| Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith | $40,715 reported compensation |
| Empower Advisory Group, LLC | $16,738 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251029152857NAL0000727443001, received 2025-10-29, EIN 47-1390886, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.