Crain Communications Inc 401(k) Review & Grade
Crain Communications Inc 401(k) Plan
Detroit, MIInformation640 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$3,175Employer $ per active participant
$10,624Employee $ saved per active participant
0.09%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$166.9MNet plan assets, end of year
$177,363Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity28.6 / 5057th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost19.0 / 2576th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving9.4 / 1563th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score67 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Information plans with 500–2,499 active participants (310 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 57th |
| Lower admin cost | 76th |
| Employee saving | 63th |
| 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
- Crain Communications put in about $3,175 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,829). 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 | $2,031,764 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $6,799,491 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,065,745 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $147,149 |
| Contract administrator fees | $99,049 |
| Benefits paid out | $15,893,534 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $151.7M / $166.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 653 / 627 |
| Participants with account balances | 941 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Uhy LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $152,444 reported compensation |
| Schwartz & Co | $30,675 reported compensation |
| Uhy LLP | $17,425 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015114130NAL0002343523003, received 2025-10-15, EIN 36-0708800, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.