Carl Buddig and Company 401(k) Review & Grade
Carl Buddig and Company Union Employee Deferred Benefit Plan
Tinley Park, ILManufacturing1,670 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$891Employer $ per active participant
$670Employee $ saved per active participant
1.03%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$30.7MNet plan assets, end of year
$11,145Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity7.1 / 5014th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost1.5 / 256th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving0.3 / 152th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score12 / 100 · Grade F
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 14th |
| Lower admin cost | 6th |
| Employee saving | 2th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
No red flags were reported on this filing's compliance questions.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Carl Buddig and put in about $891 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.
- Direct plan expenses (1.03% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.23%). Check your annual fee disclosure, choose low-cost index funds if you can, and think about whether savings beyond the match belong in an IRA.
- 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 | $1,487,278 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $1,118,851 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $50,592 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $301,150 |
| Other admin expenses | $301,150 |
| Benefits paid out | $2,858,717 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $27.6M / $30.7M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,590 / 1,750 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,751 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Cliftonlarsonallen, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | $303,098 reported compensation |
| Clifton Larson Allen | $13,965 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250915101959NAL0000648483001, received 2025-09-15, EIN 36-2169888, plan #006, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.