The Western Union Company 401(k) Review & Grade
The Western Union Company Incentive Savings Plan
Denver, COProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services1,388 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$598Employer $ per active participant
$13,387Employee $ saved per active participant
0.09%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$446.9MNet plan assets, end of year
$162,910Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity7.4 / 5015th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost19.0 / 2576th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving12.3 / 1582th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score46 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (1,469 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 15th |
| Lower admin cost | 76th |
| Employee saving | 82th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $18,410 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Western Union put in about $598 per active participant, below the typical peer ($3,082). 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.
- 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 | $830,150 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $18,574,973 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $3,451,731 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $404,203 |
| Contract administrator fees | $100,277 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $135,000 |
| Benefits paid out | $60,203,951 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $425.7M / $446.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,407 / 1,368 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,743 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly Us,llp |
| Employer stock held by plan | $160,533 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Schwab Retirement Plan Services,inc | $143,501 reported compensation |
| Innovest Portfolio Solutions L | $75,000 reported compensation |
| Vantage Consulting | $60,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251027115801NAL0005619409001, received 2025-10-27, EIN 20-4531180, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.