ZF North America, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
ZF North America, Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan
Northville, MIManufacturing9,103 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$4,859Employer $ per active participant
$7,827Employee $ saved per active participant
0.07%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$1.7BNet plan assets, end of year
$147,553Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity34.2 / 5068th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost17.2 / 2569th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving9.9 / 1566th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score54 / 100 · Grade C
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (566 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 68th |
| Lower admin cost | 69th |
| Employee saving | 66th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 70% |
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Red flags from the filing
Benefits not paid when due: the plan reported failing to pay some benefits on time.
What to do if you're in this plan
- ZF North America put in about $4,859 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,452). 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.
- 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 | $44,231,703 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $71,253,082 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $5,638,231 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $1,225,532 |
| Contract administrator fees | $4,200 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $782,484 |
| Other admin expenses | $104,753 |
| Benefits paid out | $195,237,267 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $1.8B / $1.7B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 10,036 / 8,170 |
| Participants with account balances | 11,650 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Plante Moran |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $782,484 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $352,660 reported compensation |
| Plante & Moran | $59,000 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015090950NAL0002064595001, received 2025-10-15, EIN 61-1462969, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.