California › Construction › 5,000 to 24,999 participants
Form 5500 statement · plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024
Southern California Pipe Trades Retirement Fund
Sponsored by Southern California Pipe Trades Retirement Fund, Los Angeles, CA
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.
Southern California Pipe Trades Retirement Fund of Los Angeles, California sponsors Southern California Pipe Trades Retirement Fund, a defined benefit pension plan. Its Form 5500 for the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024 shows 15,360 participants (6,644 active) and $1.58B in net assets. It is a multiemployer plan, maintained under collective bargaining agreements with more than one employer.
Net assets came to $102,568 per participant, above the $87,623 median for defined benefit plans with 5,000 to 24,999 participants and close to 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 $118M for the year ($17,711 per active participant) and benefits paid were $92.3M. 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 $9.3M: $608 per participant, well above the same-size median of $232. Administrative expenses charged to the plan were $8.4M. 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 $614M in 2009 to $1.58B in 2024 (up 157%), and participants from 12,731 to 15,360 (up 21%).
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 | $102,568 | $87,623 | $100,593 | $86,221 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $17,711 | $9,468 | $13,292 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $608 | $232 | $443 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.59% | 0.30% | 0.46% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $549 | $396 | $596 | $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), 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 | 15,360 | $1.58B | $102,568 | $118M | — | $9.3M |
| 2023 | 15,184 | $1.42B | $93,848 | $119M | — | $6.0M |
| 2022 | 14,829 | $1.27B | $85,310 | $111M | — | $5.7M |
| 2021 | 14,437 | $1.38B | $95,311 | $98.2M | — | $5.9M |
| 2020 | 14,344 | $1.17B | $81,758 | $86.1M | — | $7.1M |
| 2019 | 14,201 | $1.06B | $74,363 | $85.9M | — | $7.3M |
| 2018 | 13,785 | $938M | $68,031 | $81.0M | — | $7.4M |
| 2017 | 13,420 | $952M | $70,961 | $68.3M | — | $5.8M |
| 2016 | 13,175 | $867M | $65,773 | $63.9M | — | $4.8M |
| 2015 | 13,180 | $816M | $61,931 | $56.0M | — | $4.7M |
| 2014 | 12,759 | $812M | $63,629 | $52.1M | — | $4.9M |
| 2013 | 12,769 | $795M | $62,287 | $52.8M | — | $4.9M |
| 2012 | 12,720 | $705M | $55,436 | $56.5M | — | $4.9M |
| 2011 | 12,409 | $644M | $51,924 | $44.6M | — | $5.8M |
| 2010 | 12,538 | $671M | $53,511 | $45.6M | — | $4.0M |
| 2009 | 12,731 | $614M | $48,200 | $51.7M | — | $2.6M |
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$1,424,993,868
- Employer contributions$117,671,516
- Participant contributions—
- Rollovers and other contributions—
- Total contributions$117,671,516
- Total income, including investment results$251,182,915
- Benefits paid$92,312,253
- Administrative expenses$8,425,874
- Total expenses$100,738,127
- Net income$150,444,788
- Net transfers$0
- Net assets, end of year$1,575,438,656
Participants
- Active participants6,644
- Retired or separated, receiving benefits4,704
- Retired or separated, entitled to future benefits2,913
- Total participants, end of year15,360
Fees and service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern California Pipe Trades Adm | Plan Administrator | $3,764,091 | $0 |
| New England Pension Consultants | Investment advisory (plan) | $1,322,974 | $0 |
| Washington Capital | Investment management | $584,155 | $0 |
| 400 Capital Management | Investment management | $0 | $532,377 |
| Eide Bailly LLP | Accounting (including auditing) | $492,210 | $0 |
| Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, L. | Investment management | $0 | $458,352 |
| Trive Capital | Investment management | $0 | $332,340 |
| VWH Capital Management, LP | Investment management | $0 | $241,361 |
| Rael & Letson | Actuarial | $233,158 | $0 |
| Jpmcb Strategic Property Fund | Investment management | $181,545 | $0 |
| Nexus Capital Management, LP | Investment management | $0 | $168,151 |
| Parametric | Investment management | $141,125 | $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
- Contract administrator fees$3,764,091
- Investment advisory and management fees$2,451,192
- Other administrative expenses$1,071,742
- Recordkeeping fees$440,192
- Actuarial fees$282,829
- Legal fees$180,815
- IQPA audit fees$170,160
- Trustee and custodial fees$64,853
- Total administrative expenses$8,425,874
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$846M · 53.6%
- Partnership/joint venture interests$450M · 28.5%
- Other investments$117M · 7.4%
- Cash (interest and non-interest bearing)$41.9M · 2.7%
- Registered investment companies (mutual funds)$36.6M · 2.3%
- Real estate$32.3M · 2.1%
- 103-12 investment entities$31.6M · 2.0%
- Receivables$21.8M · 1.4%
Audit and compliance answers, as filed
- Accountant's opinionUnmodified (unqualified)
- Audit scope limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C)No
- Accounting firmEide Bailly LLP
- Participant contributions reported as transmitted lateNo
- Covered by a fidelity bondYes, $1,000,000
- 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 California
| Plan | Sponsor | Participants | Net assets | Per participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern California Ibew-Neca Pension Plan | Board of Trustees, Southern California Ibew-Neca | 18,310 | $1.58B | $86,466 |
| Sheet Metal Workers Pension Plan of Northern California | Sheet Metal Workers Pension Trust | 12,741 | $1.57B | $123,294 |
| California Ironworkers Field Pension Trust | Board of Trustees, California Ironworkers Field Pension Trust Fun | 21,447 | $3.49B | $162,580 |
| Sheet Metal Workers' Pension Plan of Southern California Arizona and Nevada | Board of Trustees, Sheet Metal Workers' Pension Plan | 11,552 | $1.42B | $122,512 |
| Operating Engineers Pension Trust | Board of Trustees, Operating Engineers Pension Trust | 40,018 | $3.65B | $91,257 |
| Pacific Coast Roofers Pension Plan | Board of Trustees for Pacific Coast Roofers Pension Plan | 10,634 | $700M | $65,806 |
Defined benefit plans in construction closest in size.
Questions and answers
How big is Southern California Pipe Trades Retirement Fund?
15,360 participants at the end of the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024, of whom 6,644 were active employees, with net assets of $1,575,438,656. 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 Southern California Pipe Trades Retirement Fund contribute per participant?
The filing reports $117,671,516 in employer contributions for the year, which is $17,711 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 $9,334,835 in compensation to service provider organisations, $608 per participant or 0.59% of net assets. The same-size median among plans reporting any Schedule C compensation was $232 per participant. Administrative expenses on Schedule H were $8,425,874. 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 Southern California Pipe Trades Retirement Fund. Recordkeeping or administration: Southern California Pipe Trades Adm. Investment advisory or management: New England Pension Consultants, Washington Capital and 400 Capital Management. The financial statements were audited by Eide Bailly 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 51-6108443, 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.