Bytedance Inc 401(k) Review & Grade
Bytedance 401(k) Plan
Culver City, CAInformation11,442 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$8,457Employer $ per active participant
$20,106Employee $ saved per active participant
0.02%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$918.9MNet plan assets, end of year
$57,803Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity44.8 / 5090th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost23.2 / 2593th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving11.9 / 1579th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score77 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Information plans with 10,000+ active participants (30 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 90th |
| Lower admin cost | 93th |
| Employee saving | 79th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 60% |
Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($577,884 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $1,138,947 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Bytedance put in about $8,457 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($5,217). 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.
- 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 | $96,760,117 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $230,043,647 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $35,070,811 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $123,021 |
| Other admin expenses | $123,021 |
| Benefits paid out | $49,801,630 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $505.9M / $918.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 10,022 / 12,861 |
| Participants with account balances | 15,898 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | $86,758 reported compensation |
| Vanguard Advisers Inc. | $6,078 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251013181208NAL0002540016001, received 2025-10-13, EIN 81-2345210, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.
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