Basf Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Basf - Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions LLC Retirement Savings Plan
Iselin, NJManufacturing1,564 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$10,838Employer $ per active participant
$11,730Employee $ saved per active participant
0.05%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$378.4MNet plan assets, end of year
$233,746Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity48.6 / 5097th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost21.4 / 2586th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving14.1 / 1594th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score91 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 97th |
| Lower admin cost | 86th |
| Employee saving | 94th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $107,546 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Basf Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions put in about $10,838 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,320). 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 | $16,944,670 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $18,339,144 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $852,729 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $198,811 |
| Contract administrator fees | $1,200 |
| Other admin expenses | $43,000 |
| Benefits paid out | $48,726,261 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $349.0M / $378.4M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,617 / 1,510 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,619 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Cohnreznick LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $155,811 reported compensation |
| Capfinancial Partners, LLC | $43,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251014100737NAL0002479729001, received 2025-10-14, EIN 92-4008863, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.