Ebci Holdings, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Ebci Holdings 401(k) Plan
Cherokee, NCAccommodation & Food Services1,063 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$802Employer $ per active participant
$2,815Employee $ saved per active participant
0.42%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$43.0MNet plan assets, end of year
$40,913Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity41.7 / 5083th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost7.2 / 2529th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.7 / 1591th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score63 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Accommodation & Food Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (458 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 83th |
| Lower admin cost | 29th |
| Employee saving | 91th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 17% |
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
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($16,816 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Ebci Holdings put in about $802 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($266). 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.
- Direct plan expenses (0.42% 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.
- 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 | $852,930 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,992,447 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $12,049 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $171,306 |
| Contract administrator fees | $118,573 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $16,490 |
| Benefits paid out | $3,127,045 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $38.1M / $43.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,098 / 1,028 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,051 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Deming, Malone, Livesay & Ostroff |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Lincoln National Corporation | $117,868 reported compensation |
| Deming, Malone, Livesay & Ostroff | $23,000 reported compensation |
| Usi Advisors, Inc. | $16,490 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015145249NAL0009842674001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 86-2405972, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.