Tri-Counties Bank 401(k) Review & Grade
Tri-Counties Bank 401(k) Plan
Chico, CAFinance & Insurance1,190 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,302Employer $ per active participant
$6,288Employee $ saved per active participant
0.24%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$83.1MNet plan assets, end of year
$63,902Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity6.0 / 5012th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost12.3 / 2549th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving6.0 / 1540th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score21 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Finance & Insurance plans with 500–2,499 active participants (754 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 12th |
| Lower admin cost | 49th |
| Employee saving | 40th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 62% |
Get the monthly 401(k) report card
The best and worst plans, new grades as filings post. One email a month, no spam.
Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($500 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $6,630 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Tri-Counties Bank put in about $1,302 per active participant, below the typical peer ($3,606). 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 | $1,548,218 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $7,479,809 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,368,919 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $179,027 |
| Contract administrator fees | $179,027 |
| Benefits paid out | $5,734,629 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $69.1M / $83.1M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,216 / 1,163 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,301 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $179,027 reported compensation |
| Global Retirement Partners LLC | $40,000 reported compensation |
| Moss Adams LLP | $22,575 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014165202NAL0001702083001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 94-2261923, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.