Transcontinental US, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Savings Plan for Transcontinental US, LLC and Certain of Its Affiliates
Chicago, ILManufacturing2,112 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,137Employer $ per active participant
$5,624Employee $ saved per active participant
0.24%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$185.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$62,472Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity23.1 / 5046th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost12.2 / 2549th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving9.0 / 1560th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score51 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 46th |
| Lower admin cost | 49th |
| Employee saving | 60th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $12,565 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Transcontinental US put in about $2,137 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.
- 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 | $4,512,906 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $11,874,428 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,180,282 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $435,600 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $153,772 |
| Benefits paid out | $34,046,581 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $179.7M / $185.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,220 / 2,003 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,971 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Forvis Mazars, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Transamerica Retirement Solutions | $252,573 reported compensation |
| Aon Hewitt Investment Consulting | $153,772 reported compensation |
| Forvis, LLP | $20,055 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250909131952NAL0012891955001, received 2025-09-09, EIN 76-0678895, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.