New Jersey › Construction › 1,000 to 4,999 participants
Form 5500 statement · plan year 1 Jul 2024 to 30 Jun 2025
Plumbers Local 9 Pension Plan
Sponsored by Plumbers Local 9 Pension Fund, West Trenton, NJ
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.
Plumbers Local 9 Pension Plan is a defined benefit pension plan sponsored by Plumbers Local 9 Pension Fund of West Trenton, New Jersey. For the plan year ending 30 Jun 2025 it reported 1,867 participants, 738 of them active, and net assets of $307M. It is a multiemployer plan, maintained under collective bargaining agreements with more than one employer.
Net assets came to $164,493 per participant, well above the $87,935 median for defined benefit plans with 1,000 to 4,999 participants and well 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 $19.3M for the year ($26,193 per active participant) and benefits paid were $22.3M. 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 15 service provider organisations paid $5,000 or more, with reported compensation of $2.5M: $1,324 per participant, well above the same-size median of $325. Administrative expenses charged to the plan were $2.6M. 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 $148M in 2009 to $307M in 2024 (up 108%), and participants from 1,933 to 1,867 (down 3%).
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 | $164,493 | $87,935 | $100,593 | $86,221 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $26,193 | $10,593 | $13,292 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $1,324 | $325 | $443 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.81% | 0.41% | 0.46% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $1,415 | $513 | $596 | $527 |
Peer columns are medians for plan year 2024 across defined benefit plans with 100 or more participants: 1,000 to 4,999 participants (1,540 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 | 1,867 | $307M | $164,493 | $19.3M | — | $2.5M |
| 2023 | 1,841 | $282M | $153,045 | $18.9M | — | $2.2M |
| 2022 | 1,856 | $259M | $139,748 | $13.9M | — | $2.3M |
| 2021 | 1,822 | $251M | $137,751 | $13.5M | — | $1.3M |
| 2020 | 1,840 | $275M | $149,227 | $11.3M | — | $1.1M |
| 2019 | 1,860 | $231M | $124,172 | $13.3M | — | $1.2M |
| 2018 | 1,891 | $233M | $123,124 | $13.4M | — | $1.2M |
| 2017 | 1,924 | $225M | $116,708 | $14.0M | — | $1.2M |
| 2016 | 1,912 | $214M | $112,168 | $13.0M | — | $1.0M |
| 2015 | 1,901 | $201M | $105,842 | $12.5M | — | $952K |
| 2014 | 1,898 | $202M | $106,421 | $12.2M | — | $1.1M |
| 2013 | 1,901 | $197M | $103,831 | $10.8M | — | $1.0M |
| 2012 | 1,907 | $178M | $93,229 | $9.5M | — | $960K |
| 2011 | 1,929 | $166M | $86,212 | $10.8M | — | $961K |
| 2010 | 1,934 | $168M | $86,876 | $9.5M | — | $906K |
| 2009 | 1,933 | $148M | $76,508 | $11.2M | — | $1.0M |
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$281,754,606
- Employer contributions$19,330,686
- Participant contributions—
- Rollovers and other contributions−$3,211,692
- Total contributions$16,118,994
- Total income, including investment results$50,258,905
- Benefits paid$22,263,713
- Administrative expenses$2,640,909
- Total expenses$24,904,622
- Net income$25,354,283
- Net transfers$0
- Net assets, end of year$307,108,889
Participants
- Active participants738
- Retired or separated, receiving benefits829
- Retired or separated, entitled to future benefits140
- Total participants, end of year1,867
Fees and service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crescent Credit Solutions VIIIA-2LP | Investment management | $844,014 | $0 |
| Ie Shaffer & Co. | Contract Administrator | $388,239 | $0 |
| Ullico Investment Advisors | Investment management | $241,804 | $0 |
| Constitution Capital Partners, LLC | Investment management | $225,532 | $0 |
| J.P. Morgan Asset Management | Investment management; Investment advisory (plan) | $150,306 | $0 |
| Prudential Insurance Company | Investment advisory (plan) | $114,444 | $0 |
| Fenimore Asset Management | Investment management | $72,145 | $0 |
| Gerson & Assoc. CPAS and Advisors | Accounting (including auditing) | $68,718 | $0 |
| Loomis Sayles Trust Company | Investment management | $66,182 | $0 |
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company | Contract Administrator | $48,627 | $0 |
| Eagle Capital Management | Investment management | $48,511 | $0 |
| Hardman Johnston Global Advisors | Accounting (including auditing) | $37,116 | $0 |
Schedule C, Part I line 2: providers that received $5,000 or more, with the form's own service codes. 3 smaller rows are not shown. 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$1,973,094
- Contract administrator fees$388,239
- Other administrative expenses$122,545
- IQPA audit fees$68,718
- Legal fees$60,813
- Actuarial fees$27,500
- Total administrative expenses$2,640,909
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.
- Common/collective trusts$213M · 69.1%
- Partnership/joint venture interests$29.0M · 9.4%
- Registered investment companies (mutual funds)$16.7M · 5.4%
- Corporate stocks$16.2M · 5.3%
- Insurance company general account$12.1M · 3.9%
- Pooled separate accounts$11.2M · 3.6%
- Cash (interest and non-interest bearing)$6.6M · 2.2%
- Receivables$1.8M · 0.6%
- Other investments$1.4M · 0.5%
Audit and compliance answers, as filed
- Accountant's opinionUnmodified (unqualified)
- Audit scope limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C)No
- Accounting firmGerson & Assoc CPAS and Advisors PC
- Participant contributions reported as transmitted lateNo
- Covered by a fidelity bondYes, $500,000
- Blackout period during the yearNo
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 New Jersey
| Plan | Sponsor | Participants | Net assets | Per participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local 734 Pension Fund | Board of Trustees Local 734 Pension Fund | 1,992 | $48.2M | $24,185 |
| U.A. Local Union No. 322 Pension Plan | Trustees, U.A. Local 322 Pension Fund | 1,733 | $144M | $82,837 |
| Local 351 IBEW Pension Plan | Board of Trustees Local 351 Pension Fund | 3,230 | $541M | $167,638 |
| UA Plumbers Local 24 Pension Fund | Plumbers Pension Fund Local 24 Board of Trustees | 1,701 | $208M | $122,122 |
| Ironworkers Local 11 Pension Fund | Ironworkers Local 11 Pension Fund Board of Trustees | 3,371 | $398M | $118,109 |
| Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local No. 4 of New Jersey Pension Plan | B.A.C. Local No. 4 Pension Fund | 1,601 | $141M | $88,320 |
Defined benefit plans in construction closest in size.
Questions and answers
How big is Plumbers Local 9 Pension Plan?
1,867 participants at the end of the plan year ending 30 Jun 2025, of whom 738 were active employees, with net assets of $307,108,889. Among defined benefit plans that places it in the 1,000 to 4,999 participants band, which held 1,540 plans in plan year 2024.
What does Plumbers Local 9 Pension Fund contribute per participant?
The filing reports $19,330,686 in employer contributions for the year, which is $26,193 per active participant; the median for plans of the same type and size was $10,593 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 $2,472,085 in compensation to service provider organisations, $1,324 per participant or 0.81% of net assets. The same-size median among plans reporting any Schedule C compensation was $325 per participant. Administrative expenses on Schedule H were $2,640,909. 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 Plumbers Local 9 Pension Fund. Recordkeeping or administration: Ie Shaffer & Co. and Empower Annuity Insurance Company. Investment advisory or management: Crescent Credit Solutions VIIIA-2LP, Ullico Investment Advisors and Constitution Capital Partners, LLC. The financial statements were audited by Gerson & Assoc CPAS and Advisors PC. 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 Jul 2024 to 30 Jun 2025, received by the Department of Labor on 27 Feb 2026. 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 51-0219541, plan 001, received 27 Feb 2026; 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.