Bridgewater Associates, LP 401(k) Review & Grade
Bridgewater Associates, LP 401(k) Plan
Westport, CTFinance & Insurance1,232 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$11,134Employer $ per active participant
$21,577Employee $ saved per active participant
0.01%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$613.9MNet plan assets, end of year
$230,347Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity46.9 / 5094th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost24.4 / 2597th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving14.7 / 1598th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score86 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Finance & Insurance plans with 500–2,499 active participants (754 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 94th |
| Lower admin cost | 97th |
| Employee saving | 98th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 62% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $38,512 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Bridgewater Associates, LP put in about $11,134 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($3,606). 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.
- 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 | $13,717,063 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $26,582,484 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $2,576,608 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $66,792 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $62,442 |
| Benefits paid out | $27,388,316 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $526.3M / $613.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,251 / 1,213 |
| Participants with account balances | 2,665 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Caron & Bletzer, PLLC |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Greenline Partners LLC | $52,777 reported compensation |
| Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. | $2,880 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251009121536NAL0006964497001, received 2025-10-09, EIN 27-1437501, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.