Vortex Companies, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Vortex Companies, LLC 401(k) Plan
Houston, TXConstruction784 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$670Employer $ per active participant
$2,741Employee $ saved per active participant
0.07%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$15.5MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity11.2 / 5022th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost20.2 / 2581th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving5.0 / 1533th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score33 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Construction plans with 500–2,499 active participants (498 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 22th |
| Lower admin cost | 81th |
| Employee saving | 33th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 44% |
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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 ($74 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $87 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Vortex Companies put in about $670 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,672). 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 | $525,320 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,147,304 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $109,282 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $9,969 |
| Contract administrator fees | $9,969 |
| Benefits paid out | $879,010 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $11.8M / $15.5M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 742 / 825 |
| Participants with account balances | 385 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Crowe, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| American United Life Insurance Co | $113,778 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251009151458NAL0003694515001, received 2025-10-09, EIN 36-4879397, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.