Blue Origin, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Blue 401(k) Plan
Kent, WAManufacturing12,062 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$6,320Employer $ per active participant
$12,971Employee $ saved per active participant
0.10%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$1.2BNet plan assets, end of year
$84,452Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity29.7 / 5059th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost11.3 / 2545th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving11.0 / 1573th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score42 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 10,000+ active participants (151 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 59th |
| Lower admin cost | 45th |
| Employee saving | 73th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 69% |
Get the monthly 401(k) report card
The best and worst plans, new grades as filings post. One email a month, no spam.
Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($13,388 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $22,461 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Blue Origin put in about $6,320 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($5,480). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- The plan reported late deposits of employee contributions. Compare your pay stubs with your account statements, and contact the plan administrator if money shows up late.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $76,226,386 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $156,452,508 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $46,352,653 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $959,912 |
| Contract administrator fees | $2,400 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $416,893 |
| Benefits paid out | $60,096,902 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $811.8M / $1.2B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 10,830 / 13,293 |
| Participants with account balances | 14,007 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $546,869 reported compensation |
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $416,893 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251013105633NAL0000512947001, received 2025-10-13, EIN 61-1770771, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.