International Paper Company 401(k) Review & Grade
International Paper Company Hourly Savings Plan
Memphis, TNManufacturing20,421 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,749Employer $ per active participant
$4,903Employee $ saved per active participant
0.08%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$1.8BNet plan assets, end of year
$69,620Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity7.0 / 5014th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost13.9 / 2556th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving2.7 / 1518th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score31 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 10,000+ active participants (151 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 14th |
| Lower admin cost | 56th |
| Employee saving | 18th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 69% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $161,914 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- International Paper put in about $1,749 per active participant, below the typical peer ($5,480). 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 | $35,726,105 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $100,123,316 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $5,687,470 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $1,332,882 |
| Contract administrator fees | $43,047 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $605,117 |
| Other admin expenses | $20,450 |
| Benefits paid out | $236,160,923 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $1.7B / $1.8B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 21,162 / 19,680 |
| Participants with account balances | 25,691 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Deloitte & Touche LLP |
| Employer stock held by plan | $2,691 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company | $622,664 reported compensation |
| Empower Advisory Group, LLC | $599,130 reported compensation |
| Alight | $42,445 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250721121251NAL0001177841001, received 2025-07-21, EIN 13-0872805, plan #118, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.