Russ Darrow Group, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Russ Darrow Group, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan
Menomonee Falls, WIRetail Trade860 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$512Employer $ per active participant
$3,921Employee $ saved per active participant
0.22%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$34.2MNet plan assets, end of year
$36,841Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity18.8 / 5038th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost12.8 / 2551th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving9.7 / 1564th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score48 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Retail Trade plans with 500–2,499 active participants (719 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 38th |
| Lower admin cost | 51th |
| Employee saving | 64th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 48% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $23,319 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Russ Darrow Group put in about $512 per active participant, below the typical peer ($743). 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.
- 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 | $439,925 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $3,370,176 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $79,730 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $72,623 |
| Contract administrator fees | $72,623 |
| Benefits paid out | $5,687,161 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $32.0M / $34.2M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 913 / 806 |
| Participants with account balances | 927 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Principal Life Insurance Company | $72,623 reported compensation |
| Thrivent Insurance Agency Inc | $49,765 reported compensation |
| Thrivent Investment Management Inc. | $7,038 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250910133348NAL0021187457001, received 2025-09-10, EIN 39-1143175, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.