Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. Savings and Retirement Plan for Salaried Employees
Bardstown, KYManufacturing710 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,939Employer $ per active participant
$6,679Employee $ saved per active participant
0.01%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$65.2MNet plan assets, end of year
$115,449Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity31.1 / 5062th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost24.5 / 2598th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving10.5 / 1570th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score56 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 62th |
| Lower admin cost | 98th |
| Employee saving | 70th |
| 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 ($19,000 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $2,807 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Heaven Hill Distilleries put in about $2,939 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,320). 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 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 | $2,088,146 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $4,745,373 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $600,616 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $4,997 |
| Other admin expenses | $4,997 |
| Benefits paid out | $3,905,050 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $53.7M / $65.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 697 / 724 |
| Participants with account balances | 565 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Cherry Bekaert LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and S | $28,409 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251002151846NAL0001534450001, received 2025-10-02, EIN 61-0402960, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.