Employer · plans filed under one EIN
Michael Best and Friedrich, LLP
Milwaukee, WI · Professional, scientific and technical services
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances.
Michael Best and Friedrich, LLP, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, sponsors 2 retirement plans with 100 or more participants: 1 defined contribution and 1 defined benefit. Together they reported 1,353 participant records and $384M in net assets.
The largest is Michael Best 401(k) Plan, a 401(k) plan with 1,016 participants. A person can be counted in more than one plan, so the participant total is a count of records rather than of people.
Employer contributions across the plans were $8.0M and participant contributions $9.3M in the latest plan years; benefits paid were $24.6M. Schedule C compensation reported to service provider organisations totalled $218K.
Combined net assets moved from $119M in 2009 to $384M in 2024 (up 222%). Plan mergers and spin-offs show up here as steps in the series.
Plans
| Plan | Kind | Plan year | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer / active | Sch. C compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Best 401(k) Plan | 401(k) plan | 2024 | 1,016 | $321M | $316,173 | $10,980 | $156K |
| Michael Best & Friedrich Employees' Pension Plan | defined benefit pension plan | 2024 | 337 | $62.8M | $186,229 | — | $63K |
| US median, plan year 2024: DC plans $53,102 per participant, $2,175 employer contribution per active participant; DB plans $86,221 and $10,244. | |||||||
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Plans | Participant records | Net assets | Employer contributions | Participant contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | 1,353 | $384M | $8.0M | $9.3M |
| 2023 | 2 | 1,328 | $346M | $7.6M | $8.7M |
| 2022 | 2 | 1,373 | $313M | $6.6M | $8.2M |
| 2021 | 2 | 1,318 | $377M | $6.0M | $7.2M |
| 2020 | 2 | 1,246 | $333M | $7.9M | $6.4M |
| 2019 | 2 | 1,257 | $294M | $7.5M | $6.1M |
| 2018 | 2 | 1,257 | $240M | $5.9M | $5.6M |
| 2017 | 2 | 1,210 | $261M | $7.3M | $5.1M |
| 2016 | 1 | 719 | $170M | $4.3M | $4.5M |
| 2015 | 1 | 713 | $165M | $4.1M | $4.3M |
| 2014 | 1 | 685 | $167M | $3.9M | $4.1M |
| 2013 | 1 | 639 | $161M | $3.7M | $3.9M |
| 2012 | 1 | 640 | $139M | $3.6M | $3.7M |
| 2011 | 1 | 719 | $122M | $3.3M | $3.4M |
| 2010 | 1 | 707 | $126M | $3.4M | $3.5M |
| 2009 | 1 | 712 | $119M | $4.3M | $3.8M |
History of the plans listed above, in the years each filed the full Form 5500 with 100 or more participants. Plans that have since terminated are not included.
Service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Plans | Compensation reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wellington Management | Investment management | 1 | $62,875 |
| Blackhawk Capital Partners LLC | Investment management | 1 | $33,719 |
| F/m Investments LLC | Investment management | 1 | $28,711 |
| Ziegler Capital Management LLC | Investment management | 1 | $26,486 |
| Arcataur Capital Management LLC | Investment management | 1 | $19,508 |
| Annex Advisory Services LLC | Investment management | 1 | $16,483 |
| Mesirow Financial Investment M | Investment management | 1 | $16,235 |
| Transamerica Retirement Solutions | Claims processing; Recordkeeping and information management; Investment management; Participant loan processing | 2 | $14,439 |
| National Financial Services | Securities brokerage | 1 | $0 |
Organisations paid $5,000 or more by any of these plans, from Schedule C. Individuals are not shown.
Questions and answers
How many retirement plans does Michael Best and Friedrich, LLP have?
2 plans with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 under its employer identification number for the latest plan years: Michael Best 401(k) Plan and Michael Best & Friedrich Employees' Pension Plan. Smaller plans and plans filed under a subsidiary's number are not grouped here.
How much does Michael Best and Friedrich, LLP contribute to its plans?
$8,004,223 in employer contributions across these plans in their latest plan years, about $9,609 per active participant record. Form 5500 reports totals and not the match or accrual formula.
Who provides services to these plans?
Schedule C filings name Wellington Management, Blackhawk Capital Partners LLC, F/m Investments LLC and Ziegler Capital Management LLC and others. Only organisations paid $5,000 or more by a plan are listed on Schedule C.
Where does this come from?
Form 5500 annual reports filed with the Department of Labor's EFAST2 system, from the EBSA research files, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Figures are as filed and may be amended.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Plans are grouped by the sponsor's employer identification number exactly as filed; a company that files under several EINs appears as several employers. See the methodology and corrections.