Buzzfeed Media Enterprises, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Buzzfeed Inc. 401(k) Plan
New York, NYInformation702 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$1,138Employer $ per active participant
$8,985Employee $ saved per active participant
0.09%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$77.3MNet plan assets, end of year
$56,314Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity10.4 / 5021th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost19.0 / 2576th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving7.6 / 1551th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score44 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Information plans with 500–2,499 active participants (310 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 21th |
| Lower admin cost | 76th |
| Employee saving | 51th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $6,386 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Buzzfeed Media Enterprises put in about $1,138 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,829). Any match is still an instant return, so contribute enough to get all of it.
- 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 | $798,707 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $6,307,749 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $698,884 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $71,835 |
| Other admin expenses | $566 |
| Benefits paid out | $19,976,408 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $78.3M / $77.3M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 858 / 546 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,373 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Eisneramper LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | $121,243 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251015140023NAL0005061473006, received 2025-10-15, EIN 87-3610738, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.