Waterton Associates 401(k) Review & Grade
Waterton 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan
Chicago, ILReal Estate & Rental790 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$2,146Employer $ per active participant
$5,241Employee $ saved per active participant
0.41%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$53.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$51,382Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity35.9 / 5072th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost7.4 / 2530th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving10.4 / 1569th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score47 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Real Estate & Rental plans with 500–2,499 active participants (291 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 72th |
| Lower admin cost | 30th |
| Employee saving | 69th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 47% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($49,244 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
- Waterton Associates put in about $2,146 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,279). 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 (0.41% 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 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 | $1,695,459 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $4,140,115 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $750,370 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $206,490 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $83,379 |
| Benefits paid out | $7,415,046 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $47.6M / $53.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 765 / 815 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,044 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Sikich CPA, LLC |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $115,111 reported compensation |
| Creative Planning LLC | $83,379 reported compensation |
| Sikich LLP | $8,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015125552NAL0004602001001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 36-4020229, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.