401(k) Plan Expenses

The Equity-League 401(k) Plan, like other 401(k) plans, has two kinds of expenses:

Administrative expenses

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Administrative expenses are the costs for recordkeeping (fees paid to John Hancock), Fund Office overhead (to pay for the staff who process contributions and benefit applications and provide other services), and consulting, attorney, and audit services.

Administrative expenses are paid through a quarterly fee that is applied to your account. The fee amount is based on your account balance. This method went into effect in April of 2025. The fees allow the 401(k) Plan to pay its administrative costs. The fee amount shown in the chart below will be deducted from your account each quarter.

Account balance

Under $5,000
$5000–$50,000
Over $50,000
Quarterly administrative expense fee
$10
$37.50
$75

Investment expenses

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Investment expenses are the costs associated with managing the funds within the Plan. The providers of each of the Plan’s investment options charge a fee to manage that investment, which varies by investment option.

Investment expenses are paid to the Plan’s investment managers from what is known as the expense ratio. The providers of each of the Plan’s investment options charge a fee to manage that investment, which varies by investment option. These fees are paid from the expense ratio.

Net total return is the return after the expense ratio has been deducted. For example, if an investment option has a gross return of 10.75% in a calendar year and the expense ratio for that option is 0.75%, then the net return for that calendar year is 10%, which is the return that you’ll see on your statement for that calendar year.

To help illustrate the investment fees and expenses, please see below showing the expense ratio paid by a participant with an account balance of $75,000 invested in three different available investment options. The annual dollar amount of the expense ratio shown below is the fee that is kept by the investment manager to pay its expenses. The amounts for each investment option vary based on the expense ratio for that investment option and the amount of the revenue sharing (if any).

100% invested in

Participant account balance
Expense ratio
Annual dollar amount of expense ratio (investment expense fee)
American Target 2050 Fund R3
$75,000
0.38%
$285
T. Rowe Price New Horizons Fund
$75,000
0.66%
$495
Vanguard Institutional Index Fund
$75,000
0.04%
$30

This is a hypothetical mathematical illustration only. Individual circumstances may vary. There is no guarantee that any investment strategy will achieve its objectives.

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Contacts

Equity-League Benefit Funds Office

(212) 869-9380
(800) 344-5220 (outside NYC)
Health Fax: (212) 869-3323
401(k) and Pension Fax: (212) 869-1824