Royston LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Employees' Retirement Savings Plan of Royston LLC
Jasper, GAManufacturing1,002 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$993Employer $ per active participant
$3,678Employee $ saved per active participant
0.19%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$55.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$50,276Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity8.4 / 5017th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost14.1 / 2556th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving4.9 / 1532th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-23 pts3 issues reported on the filing
Total score14 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 17th |
| Lower admin cost | 56th |
| Employee saving | 32th |
| 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 ($225,326 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Benefits not paid when due: the plan reported failing to pay some benefits on time.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $323 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Royston put in about $993 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 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 | $995,329 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $3,685,310 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $284,259 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $98,120 |
| Benefits paid out | $4,514,748 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $49.9M / $55.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,033 / 971 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,105 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Grant Thornton LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Grant Thornton LLP | $127,624 reported compensation |
| Morgan Stanley Smith Barney | $110,291 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | −$29,504 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015095833NAL0008627890001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 58-2424598, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.