Illinois › Construction › 250 to 499 participants
Form 5500 statement · plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024
Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 553 Pension Plan
Sponsored by Trustees of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 553, East Alton, IL
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. Form 5500 contains no individual account balances. Look up the original filing at EFAST2.
Trustees of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 553 of East Alton, Illinois sponsors Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 553 Pension Plan, a defined benefit pension plan. Its Form 5500 for the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024 shows 499 participants (277 active) and $59.3M in net assets. It is a multiemployer plan, maintained under collective bargaining agreements with more than one employer.
Net assets came to $118,904 per participant, well above the $87,254 median for defined benefit plans with 250 to 499 participants and above the $100,593 median for defined benefit plans in construction. The figure is an average across everyone in the plan, including former employees with small balances; Form 5500 holds no individual account data.
Employer contributions were $4.4M for the year ($15,740 per active participant) and benefits paid were $5.6M. In a defined benefit plan the employer's contribution follows funding rules rather than a match formula, so it can swing widely from year to year.
Schedule C lists 7 service provider organisations paid $5,000 or more, with reported compensation of $194K: $389 per participant, below the same-size median of $413. Administrative expenses charged to the plan were $228K. Schedule C does not capture every cost: fees netted from fund returns and fees the employer pays directly are outside it.
Across the filings on record, net assets went from $30.2M in 2009 to $59.3M in 2024 (up 96%), and participants from 388 to 499 (up 29%).
The independent accountant's opinion on the financial statements was unmodified (unqualified).
Compared with similar plans
| Measure | This plan | Same size | Same industry | All US DB plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $118,904 | $87,254 | $100,593 | $86,221 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $15,740 | $11,032 | $13,292 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $389 | $413 | $443 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.33% | 0.51% | 0.46% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $458 | $596 | $596 | $527 |
Peer columns are medians for plan year 2024 across defined benefit plans with 100 or more participants: 250 to 499 participants (873 plans), construction (655) and all US plans (5,308). Fee medians cover plans that report an amount.
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Schedule C compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 499 | $59.3M | $118,904 | $4.4M | — | $194K |
| 2023 | 489 | $54.1M | $110,699 | $4.0M | — | $179K |
| 2022 | 464 | $49.6M | $106,931 | $4.0M | — | $193K |
| 2021 | 432 | $60.3M | $139,479 | $3.6M | — | $188K |
| 2020 | 426 | $55.3M | $129,843 | $3.3M | — | $259K |
| 2019 | 430 | $50.2M | $116,798 | $3.5M | — | $183K |
| 2018 | 420 | $43.6M | $103,743 | $3.2M | — | $185K |
| 2017 | 402 | $48.5M | $120,595 | $2.9M | — | $159K |
| 2016 | 404 | $43.9M | $108,782 | $3.1M | — | $122K |
| 2015 | 396 | $42.4M | $107,109 | $3.1M | — | $250K |
| 2014 | 383 | $44.1M | $115,107 | $3.3M | — | $205K |
| 2013 | 379 | $42.7M | $112,715 | $2.9M | — | $202K |
| 2012 | 381 | $36.7M | $96,220 | $3.0M | — | $192K |
| 2011 | 387 | $33.4M | $86,354 | $3.6M | — | $214K |
| 2010 | 385 | $33.9M | $88,073 | $3.4M | — | $196K |
| 2009 | 388 | $30.2M | $77,863 | $3.3M | — | $123K |
Years in which the plan filed the full Form 5500 with 100 or more participants, from 2009. Plan year is the year in which the plan year began.
Statement for the year
- Net assets, beginning of year$54,131,860
- Employer contributions$4,360,026
- Participant contributions—
- Rollovers and other contributions—
- Total contributions$4,360,026
- Total income, including investment results$11,011,760
- Benefits paid$5,581,935
- Administrative expenses$228,411
- Total expenses$5,810,346
- Net income$5,201,414
- Net transfers$0
- Net assets, end of year$59,333,274
Participants
- Active participants277
- Retired or separated, receiving benefits166
- Retired or separated, entitled to future benefits29
- Total participants, end of year499
Fees and service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Busey Bank | Custodial (other than securities); Investment management | $66,450 | $0 |
| Ekon Advisors | Investment advisory (plan) | $29,920 | $0 |
| Plumbers 553 Health & Welfare Fund | Recordkeeping and information management | $26,858 | $0 |
| Ekon Benefits | Actuarial; Consulting (pension) | $25,115 | $0 |
| Anders, Minkler, Huber, Helm LLP | Accounting (including auditing) | $21,000 | $0 |
| Morice, List, & Associates | Accounting (including auditing) | $13,200 | $0 |
| Hammond and Shinners, P.C. | Legal | $11,571 | $0 |
Schedule C, Part I line 2: providers that received $5,000 or more, with the form's own service codes. Individuals named on Schedule C (plan employees, individual trustees) are never shown and their compensation is excluded. Eligible indirect compensation disclosed by formula carries no dollar amount. See how to read Schedule C fees.
Administrative expenses on Schedule H
- Investment advisory and management fees$94,271
- Other administrative expenses$37,084
- IQPA audit fees$34,200
- Actuarial fees$27,315
- Salaries and allowances$23,970
- Legal fees$11,571
- Total administrative expenses$228,411
Investment structure
Assets at year end by Schedule H category. The form shows the kind of vehicle holding the money, not the funds on the menu.
- Registered investment companies (mutual funds)$39.1M · 65.6%
- Corporate stocks$10.7M · 17.9%
- Corporate debt instruments$2.7M · 4.5%
- Common/collective trusts$2.4M · 4.0%
- U.S. Government securities$2.3M · 3.9%
- Cash (interest and non-interest bearing)$2.0M · 3.3%
- Receivables$549K · 0.9%
Audit and compliance answers, as filed
- Accountant's opinionUnmodified (unqualified)
- Audit scope limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C)No
- Accounting firmAnders Minkler Huber & Helm LLP
- Participant contributions reported as transmitted lateNo
- Covered by a fidelity bondYes, $500,000
- Blackout period during the year—
These are the plan administrator's own answers on Schedule H, Part IV. A reported late transmittal is the filer's disclosure of a timing lapse, usually corrected through the Department of Labor's voluntary program; the amount is the total involved, not a loss.
Plan characteristics
1BBenefits are primarily flat dollar (includes dollars per year of service)
Codes entered on Form 5500 line 8a, with the labels from the official instructions. Business code 238220: Plumbing, Heating, & Air-Conditioning Contractors.
Similar plans in Illinois
| Plan | Sponsor | Participants | Net assets | Per participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing & Heating Wholesalers Retirement Income Plan for the Benefit of Shopmen's Division of Pipe Fitters' Association, Local 597 | Shopmens Division Local 597 Joint Board of Trustees | 534 | $16.2M | $30,301 |
| Roofers Local No. 88 Pension Fund | Roofers Local No. 88 Pension Fund Board of Trustees | 479 | $24.2M | $50,515 |
| Iron Workers Local 498 Defined Benefit Plan | Trustees of the Iron Workers Local 498 Defined Benefit Plan | 549 | $33.9M | $61,767 |
| Local 99 Pension Plan | Board of Trustees Local 99 Pension Plan | 432 | $57.3M | $132,616 |
| Painters Union Local #1052 Pension Trust Fund | Painters Union Local #1052 Pension Trust Fund Trustees | 582 | $38.9M | $66,911 |
| Plumbers & Fitters Local 101 Restated Pension Plan | Board of Trustees of Plumbers & Fitters Local 101 Pension Plan | 407 | $88.5M | $217,338 |
Defined benefit plans in construction closest in size.
Questions and answers
How big is Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 553 Pension Plan?
499 participants at the end of the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024, of whom 277 were active employees, with net assets of $59,333,274. Among defined benefit plans that places it in the 250 to 499 participants band, which held 873 plans in plan year 2024.
What does Trustees of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 553 contribute per participant?
The filing reports $4,360,026 in employer contributions for the year, which is $15,740 per active participant; the median for plans of the same type and size was $11,032 in plan year 2024. Form 5500 reports the total only. It does not state the match formula, and the per-participant figure is an average, not any one person's contribution.
What fees does the plan pay and how do they compare?
Schedule C reports $194,114 in compensation to service provider organisations, $389 per participant or 0.33% of net assets. The same-size median among plans reporting any Schedule C compensation was $413 per participant. Administrative expenses on Schedule H were $228,411. Investment costs deducted inside mutual funds and other pooled vehicles are not itemised on Form 5500, so these figures are a floor rather than a full cost.
Who runs the plan?
The sponsor is Trustees of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 553. Recordkeeping or administration: Plumbers 553 Health & Welfare Fund. Investment advisory or management: Busey Bank and Ekon Advisors. Trustee or custodian: Busey Bank. The financial statements were audited by Anders Minkler Huber & Helm LLP. Form 5500 also names the plan administrator's signer and other individuals; this site publishes organisations only.
Was the audit opinion unqualified?
The filing reports an unmodified (unqualified) opinion. Unmodified (formerly "unqualified") is the standard clean opinion.
How current is this, and does it show my balance?
This is the Form 5500 for the plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024, received by the Department of Labor on 15 Oct 2025. Filings are due seven months after the plan year ends, or nine and a half with an extension, so the public record always runs a year or more behind. It contains plan-level totals only: no individual balances, contributions or names of participants exist in the data.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files (Form 5500, Schedule H, Schedule C) for plan years 2009 to 2025, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. This page shows the latest filing on record for EIN 37-6052808, plan 001, received 15 Oct 2025; an amended filing replaces it at the next build. Medians and percentiles are computed by this site; see the methodology. Report an error through corrections.