Hamister Group, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Hamister Group, LLC 401(k) Co-Workers Retirement Plan
Buffalo, NYHealth Care & Social Assistance1,008 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$170Employer $ per active participant
$1,221Employee $ saved per active participant
0.39%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$10.4MNet plan assets, end of year
$15,503Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity9.9 / 5020th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost7.8 / 2531th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving4.1 / 1527th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score19 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Health Care & Social Assistance plans with 500–2,499 active participants (1,427 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 20th |
| Lower admin cost | 31th |
| Employee saving | 27th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 36% |
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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 ($94,913 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $25,452 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Hamister Group put in about $170 per active participant, below the typical peer ($976). 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 (0.39% 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 auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- 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 | $171,558 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $1,231,580 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $102,901 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $37,806 |
| Contract administrator fees | $37,806 |
| Benefits paid out | $1,184,342 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $8.8M / $10.4M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 874 / 1,143 |
| Participants with account balances | 671 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Chiampou Travis Besaw & Kershner |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $37,806 reported compensation |
| Osaic Wealth Inc | $14,839 reported compensation |
| Morningstar Investment Management L | $0 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014071243NAL0001082083001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 16-1597110, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.