Mark Anthony Brands Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Mark Anthony Group 401(k) Plan
Chicago, ILRetail Trade1,370 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$3,361Employer $ per active participant
$6,438Employee $ saved per active participant
0.45%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$79.5MNet plan assets, end of year
$63,160Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity47.9 / 5096th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost6.6 / 2526th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving14.0 / 1593th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score69 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Retail Trade plans with 500–2,499 active participants (719 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 96th |
| Lower admin cost | 26th |
| Employee saving | 93th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $156,887 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Mark Anthony Brands put in about $3,361 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($743). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (0.45% 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.
- 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 | $4,603,012 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $8,816,658 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $4,735,189 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $322,393 |
| Contract administrator fees | $77,683 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $134,659 |
| Benefits paid out | $9,888,174 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $62.9M / $79.5M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,308 / 1,431 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,258 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Cbiz Cpas P.C. |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Ins Comp of Amer | $110,051 reported compensation |
| Empower Advisory Group, LLC | $99,659 reported compensation |
| Hunnex & Shoemaker Inc | $77,683 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015111739NAL0002203891002, received 2025-10-15, EIN 91-1784836, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.