BMW of North America, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
BMW Savings Plan
Woodcliff Lake, NJWholesale Trade12,900 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$7,579Employer $ per active participant
$6,804Employee $ saved per active participant
0.12%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$2.3BNet plan assets, end of year
$163,305Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity47.1 / 5094th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost9.4 / 2538th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving11.5 / 1576th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score65 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Wholesale Trade plans with 10,000+ active participants (35 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 94th |
| Lower admin cost | 38th |
| Employee saving | 76th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 63% |
Red flags from the filing
Benefits not paid when due: the plan reported failing to pay some benefits on time.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $17,393 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- BMW of North America put in about $7,579 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,420). 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 auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- 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 | $97,775,228 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $87,769,749 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $5,876,586 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $2,527,820 |
| Contract administrator fees | $12,000 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $1,513,134 |
| Other admin expenses | $209,258 |
| Benefits paid out | $166,394,334 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $2.0B / $2.3B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 12,934 / 12,867 |
| Participants with account balances | 14,336 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Crowe, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $703,419 reported compensation |
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $680,753 reported compensation |
| Aon Investments USA Inc. | $122,700 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251006153253NAL0002014339001, received 2025-10-06, EIN 22-2139469, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.
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