Missouri › Wholesale trade › 5,000 to 24,999 participants
Form 5500 statement · plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024
Cash Balance Retirement Plan of Hallmark Cards, Inc.
Sponsored by Hallmark Cards, Inc., Kansas City, MO
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.
In the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024, Cash Balance Retirement Plan of Hallmark Cards, Inc. covered 6,585 participants and held $427M in net assets. The plan is a cash balance pension plan sponsored by Hallmark Cards, Inc. of Kansas City, Missouri.
Net assets came to $64,894 per participant, well below the $87,623 median for defined benefit plans with 5,000 to 24,999 participants and close to the $61,809 median for defined benefit plans in wholesale trade. 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 $31.6M for the year ($22,889 per active participant) and benefits paid were $61.8M. 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 $1.1M: $165 per participant, well below the same-size median of $232. Administrative expenses charged to the plan were $6.6M. 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 $567M in 2009 to $427M in 2024 (down 25%), and participants from 17,516 to 6,585 (down 62%).
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 | $64,894 | $87,623 | $61,809 | $86,221 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $22,889 | $9,468 | $8,409 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $165 | $232 | $346 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.25% | 0.30% | 0.54% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $999 | $396 | $540 | $527 |
Peer columns are medians for plan year 2024 across defined benefit plans with 100 or more participants: 5,000 to 24,999 participants (651 plans), wholesale trade (157) 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 | 6,585 | $427M | $64,894 | $31.6M | — | $1.1M |
| 2023 | 6,977 | $436M | $62,492 | $16.9M | — | $1.4M |
| 2022 | 7,254 | $437M | $60,256 | $4.5M | — | $1.3M |
| 2021 | 7,494 | $539M | $71,912 | — | — | $1.3M |
| 2020 | 7,794 | $557M | $71,517 | $35.5M | — | $862K |
| 2019 | 8,255 | $545M | $65,997 | $25.8M | — | $619K |
| 2018 | 8,507 | $512M | $60,135 | $25.9M | — | $656K |
| 2017 | 8,781 | $563M | $64,079 | $29.0M | — | $724K |
| 2016 | 10,079 | $544M | $53,924 | $38.5M | — | $752K |
| 2015 | 10,564 | $542M | $51,307 | $8.7M | — | $1.6M |
| 2014 | 11,433 | $600M | $52,494 | $18.0M | — | $2.0M |
| 2013 | 14,163 | $626M | $44,213 | $13.3M | — | $2.4M |
| 2012 | 14,959 | $596M | $39,861 | $5.7M | — | $1.4M |
| 2011 | 15,682 | $590M | $37,636 | $44.5M | — | $2.9M |
| 2010 | 16,348 | $600M | $36,679 | $22.4M | — | $2.0M |
| 2009 | 17,516 | $567M | $32,383 | — | — | $2.7M |
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$436,007,954
- Employer contributions$31,586,438
- Participant contributions—
- Rollovers and other contributions—
- Total contributions$31,586,438
- Total income, including investment results$59,649,166
- Benefits paid$61,753,119
- Administrative expenses$6,579,763
- Total expenses$68,332,882
- Net income−$8,683,716
- Net transfers$0
- Net assets, end of year$427,324,238
Participants
- Active participants1,380
- Retired or separated, receiving benefits3,000
- Retired or separated, entitled to future benefits1,517
- Total participants, end of year6,585
Fees and service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aon Consulting | Actuarial; Consulting (pension) | $435,934 | $0 |
| State Street Bank & Trust | Contract Administrator; Custodial (other than securities); Custodial (securities); Trustee (directed) | $359,362 | $0 |
| Albourne America LLC | Investment advisory (plan) | $206,210 | $0 |
| Rubinbrown LLP | Accounting (including auditing) | $33,006 | $0 |
| Callan LLC | Investment advisory (plan) | $19,805 | $0 |
| Evestment | Other services | $15,937 | $0 |
| Pension Benefit Information LLC | Other services | $15,610 | $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
- Other administrative expenses$5,525,446
- Actuarial fees$435,934
- Trustee and custodial fees$289,809
- Investment advisory and management fees$226,015
- Contract administrator fees$69,553
- IQPA audit fees$33,006
- Total administrative expenses$6,579,763
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.
- Master trust investment accounts$410M · 96.0%
- Receivables$17.2M · 4.0%
Audit and compliance answers, as filed
- Accountant's opinionUnmodified (unqualified)
- Audit scope limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C)No
- Accounting firmRubinbrown LLP
- Participant contributions reported as transmitted lateNo
- Covered by a fidelity bondYes, $10,000,000
- 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
1CCash balance or similar plan3FPlan sponsor(s) received services of leased employees3HPlan sponsor(s) is (are) a member(s) of a controlled group
Codes entered on Form 5500 line 8a, with the labels from the official instructions. Business code 424100: Paper & Paper Products.
Other plans of Hallmark Cards, Inc.
| Plan | Participants | Net assets |
|---|---|---|
| Business Performance Savings Plan of Hallmark Cards, Incorporated | 8,190 | $2.01B |
| Retail Service Group Savings Plan of Hallmark Cards, Incorporated | 4,164 | $67.5M |
| Hallmark Affiliates Employee Savings Plan | 3,365 | $443M |
| Hallmark Retiree Pension Plan | 393 | $4.8M |
Similar plans in Missouri
| Plan | Sponsor | Participants | Net assets | Per participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graybar Electric Company, Inc. Pension Plan | Graybar Electric Company, Inc. | 5,114 | $525M | $102,622 |
| Mfa Employees Retirement Plan | Mfa Oil Company | 1,861 | $155M | $83,310 |
| Bunzl USA, LLC Retirement Plan | Bunzl USA, LLC | 660 | $102M | $154,785 |
| Hallmark Retiree Pension Plan | Hallmark Cards, Inc. | 393 | $4.8M | $12,192 |
| International Longshoremens Association Pension Plan | International Longshoremens Association | 229 | $5.9M | $25,927 |
Defined benefit plans in wholesale trade closest in size.
Questions and answers
How big is Cash Balance Retirement Plan of Hallmark Cards, Inc.?
6,585 participants at the end of the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024, of whom 1,380 were active employees, with net assets of $427,324,238. Among defined benefit plans that places it in the 5,000 to 24,999 participants band, which held 651 plans in plan year 2024.
What does Hallmark Cards, Inc. contribute per participant?
The filing reports $31,586,438 in employer contributions for the year, which is $22,889 per active participant; the median for plans of the same type and size was $9,468 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 $1,085,864 in compensation to service provider organisations, $165 per participant or 0.25% of net assets. The same-size median among plans reporting any Schedule C compensation was $232 per participant. Administrative expenses on Schedule H were $6,579,763. 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 Hallmark Cards, Inc.. Recordkeeping or administration: State Street Bank & Trust. Investment advisory or management: Albourne America LLC and Callan LLC. Trustee or custodian: State Street Bank & Trust. The financial statements were audited by Rubinbrown 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 13 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 44-0272180, plan 002, received 13 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.