Lawler Foods, LTD. 401(k) Review & Grade
Dessert Holdings 401(k) Savings Plan
Humble, TXManufacturing749 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,422Employer $ per active participant
$2,669Employee $ saved per active participant
0.22%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$37.7MNet plan assets, end of year
$50,047Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity14.2 / 5028th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost12.8 / 2551th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving2.9 / 1519th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score20 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 28th |
| Lower admin cost | 51th |
| Employee saving | 19th |
| 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 ($73,693 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $6,824 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Lawler Foods put in about $1,422 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.
- 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 | $1,064,743 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $1,999,450 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $259,244 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $64,137 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $34,300 |
| Benefits paid out | $6,929,234 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $20.7M / $37.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 476 / 1,022 |
| Participants with account balances | 754 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Bdo USA, P.C. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| RBC Wealth Management | $30,000 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $29,837 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015105704NAL0004346801001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 76-0418074, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.