Ahlstrom USA Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Ahlstrom Retirement Savings Plan
Windsor Locks, CTManufacturing2,596 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$6,246Employer $ per active participant
$8,451Employee $ saved per active participant
0.06%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$550.8MNet plan assets, end of year
$168,232Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity39.4 / 5079th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost18.2 / 2573th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving10.6 / 1571th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score75 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (566 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 79th |
| Lower admin cost | 73th |
| Employee saving | 71th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 70% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $11,090 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Ahlstrom USA put in about $6,246 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,452). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- 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 | $16,217,435 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $21,943,121 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $5,325,517 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $318,390 |
| Contract administrator fees | $2,700 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $137,955 |
| Other admin expenses | $302,519 |
| Benefits paid out | $64,109,008 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $497.1M / $550.8M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,500 / 2,693 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,274 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Cliftonlarsonallenllp |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $137,955 reported compensation |
| Fiducient Advisors LLC | $55,930 reported compensation |
| Verrilldanallp | $46,404 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250825095912NAL0007739329001, received 2025-08-25, EIN 13-3509370, plan #005, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.