Liberated Brands, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Liberated Brands, LLC 401(k) Plan
Costa Mesa, CAWholesale Trade864 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$794Employer $ per active participant
$4,194Employee $ saved per active participant
0.51%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$30.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$19,305Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity8.6 / 5017th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost5.5 / 2522th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.4 / 1543th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score21 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Wholesale Trade plans with 500–2,499 active participants (603 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 17th |
| Lower admin cost | 22th |
| Employee saving | 43th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 53% |
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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 ($32,918 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Liberated Brands put in about $794 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,792). 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 (0.51% 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 | $685,688 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $3,621,484 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $3,446,754 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $133,807 |
| Contract administrator fees | $131,657 |
| Other admin expenses | $2,150 |
| Benefits paid out | $1,779,987 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $21.4M / $30.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 660 / 1,067 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,586 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Haskell & White LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Voya Retirement Insurance & Annuity | $133,807 reported compensation |
| Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC | $48,917 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250801133507NAL0008349040001, received 2025-08-01, EIN 33-0466919, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.