Lakeshore Learning Materials, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Lakeshore Learning Materials 401(k) Plan
Carson, CARetail Trade4,408 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,241Employer $ per active participant
$2,724Employee $ saved per active participant
0.13%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$199.6MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity36.5 / 5073th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost11.8 / 2547th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving9.5 / 1563th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score58 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Retail Trade plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (183 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 73th |
| Lower admin cost | 47th |
| Employee saving | 63th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 42% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $355 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Lakeshore Learning Materials put in about $1,241 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($650). 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.
- 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 | $5,469,523 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $12,006,190 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,263,766 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $240,294 |
| Contract administrator fees | $158,328 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $69,078 |
| Benefits paid out | $8,526,710 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $162.8M / $199.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 4,141 / 4,674 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,849 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Cliftonlarsonallen LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $158,327 reported compensation |
| Sageview Advisory Group, LLC | $76,822 reported compensation |
| Cliftonlarsonallen LLP | $22,043 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250911122917NAL0000494625001, received 2025-09-11, EIN 94-1525814, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.