Tennessee › Finance and insurance › 1,000 to 4,999 participants
Form 5500 statement · plan year 1 Jan 2024 to 31 Dec 2024
Iron Workers Local #397 Pension Fund
Sponsored by Iron Workers Local #397 Pension Fund, Goodlettsville, TN
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, Iron Workers Local #397 Pension Fund covered 1,325 participants and held $97.1M in net assets. The plan is a defined benefit pension plan sponsored by Iron Workers Local #397 Pension Fund of Goodlettsville, Tennessee. It is a multiemployer plan, maintained under collective bargaining agreements with more than one employer.
Net assets came to $73,279 per participant, below the $87,935 median for defined benefit plans with 1,000 to 4,999 participants and well below the $119,983 median for defined benefit plans in finance and insurance. 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 $3.3M for the year ($4,913 per active participant) and benefits paid were $5.7M. 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 10 service provider organisations paid $5,000 or more, with reported compensation of $434K: $327 per participant, close to the same-size median of $325. Administrative expenses charged to the plan were $525K. 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 $43.9M in 2009 to $97.1M in 2024 (up 121%), and participants from 1,153 to 1,325 (up 15%).
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 | $73,279 | $87,935 | $119,983 | $86,221 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $4,913 | $10,593 | $7,849 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $327 | $325 | $352 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.45% | 0.41% | 0.32% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $396 | $513 | $433 | $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), finance and insurance (690) 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 | 1,325 | $97.1M | $73,278 | $3.3M | — | $434K |
| 2023 | 1,299 | $90.1M | $69,326 | $3.0M | — | $388K |
| 2022 | 1,198 | $82.7M | $69,035 | $3.1M | — | $357K |
| 2021 | 1,241 | $97.8M | $78,824 | $3.1M | — | $361K |
| 2020 | 1,161 | $86.8M | $74,743 | $3.1M | — | $358K |
| 2019 | 1,185 | $79.9M | $67,406 | $3.1M | — | $383K |
| 2018 | 1,179 | $67.1M | $56,902 | $2.4M | — | $348K |
| 2017 | 1,156 | $72.2M | $62,445 | $2.3M | — | $374K |
| 2016 | 1,162 | $64.9M | $55,884 | $2.0M | — | $309K |
| 2015 | 1,070 | $61.2M | $57,204 | $1.9M | — | $297K |
| 2014 | 1,004 | $63.9M | $63,685 | $1.8M | — | $282K |
| 2013 | 1,082 | $60.5M | $55,884 | $2.1M | — | $316K |
| 2012 | 998 | $52.1M | $52,182 | $1.9M | — | $297K |
| 2011 | 912 | $47.6M | $52,207 | $1.9M | — | $314K |
| 2010 | 993 | $47.7M | $48,046 | $1.6M | — | $244K |
| 2009 | 1,153 | $43.9M | $38,045 | $2.1M | — | $281K |
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$90,053,522
- Employer contributions$3,272,020
- Participant contributions—
- Rollovers and other contributions—
- Total contributions$3,272,020
- Total income, including investment results$13,258,376
- Benefits paid$5,693,007
- Administrative expenses$524,803
- Total expenses$6,217,810
- Net income$7,040,566
- Net transfers$0
- Net assets, end of year$97,094,088
Participants
- Active participants666
- Retired or separated, receiving benefits392
- Retired or separated, entitled to future benefits191
- Total participants, end of year1,325
Fees and service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP Morgan Chase | Investment management | $121,414 | $0 |
| Horizon Actuarial | Actuarial | $63,319 | $0 |
| Cooke & Bieler | Investment management | $60,759 | $0 |
| Southern Benefit Administrators Inc. | Contract Administrator | $59,315 | $0 |
| Venable Law Firm | Legal | $37,304 | $0 |
| Mariner Institutional LLC | Investment advisory (plan) | $32,500 | $0 |
| Asb Allegiance Real Estate Fund | Investment management | $30,472 | $0 |
| Ironworkers Local Union #397 | Other services | $10,800 | $0 |
| Salem Trust | Custodial (securities) | $9,897 | $0 |
| Rhumbline Advisors | Investment management | $7,969 | $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$253,114
- Other administrative expenses$101,254
- Actuarial fees$63,319
- Contract administrator fees$59,315
- Legal fees$37,304
- Trustee and custodial fees$9,897
- IQPA audit fees$600
- Total administrative expenses$524,803
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)$48.1M · 49.6%
- Other investments$22.5M · 23.1%
- Common/collective trusts$15.6M · 16.1%
- Corporate stocks$10.1M · 10.4%
- Cash (interest and non-interest bearing)$748K · 0.8%
Audit and compliance answers, as filed
- Accountant's opinionUnmodified (unqualified)
- Audit scope limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C)No
- Participant contributions reported as transmitted lateNo
- Covered by a fidelity bondYes, $2,000,000
- 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 525100: Insurance & Employee Benefit Funds.
Similar plans in Tennessee
| Plan | Sponsor | Participants | Net assets | Per participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retirement Plan of Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insura | Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insurance Company | 1,377 | $944M | $685,806 |
| Ironworkers Local 808 Pension Fund | Trustees of Ironworkers Local 808 Pension Fund | 1,297 | $90.8M | $69,983 |
| Atlanta Ironworkers Local #387 Pension Plan | Board of Trustees Atlanta Ironworkers Local 387 Pension PL | 1,520 | $132M | $87,044 |
| Retirement Plan for Employees of AllianceBernstein L.P. | AllianceBernstein L.P. | 728 | $60.2M | $82,629 |
| Sedgwick Retirement Plan | Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. | 1,965 | $70.6M | $35,908 |
| Graphic Communications International Union Local 96-B Pension Fund | Board of Trustees of Graphic Commun | 531 | $1.8M | $3,358 |
Defined benefit plans in finance and insurance closest in size.
Questions and answers
How big is Iron Workers Local #397 Pension Fund?
1,325 participants at the end of the plan year ending 31 Dec 2024, of whom 666 were active employees, with net assets of $97,094,088. 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 Iron Workers Local #397 Pension Fund contribute per participant?
The filing reports $3,272,020 in employer contributions for the year, which is $4,913 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 $433,749 in compensation to service provider organisations, $327 per participant or 0.45% of net assets. The same-size median among plans reporting any Schedule C compensation was $325 per participant. Administrative expenses on Schedule H were $524,803. 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 Iron Workers Local #397 Pension Fund. Recordkeeping or administration: Southern Benefit Administrators Inc.. Investment advisory or management: JP Morgan Chase, Cooke & Bieler and Mariner Institutional LLC. Trustee or custodian: Salem Trust. 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 59-6168650, 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.