Microsoft Corporation 401(k) Review & Grade
Microsoft Corporation Savings Plus 401k Plan
Redmond, WAInformation121,348 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$9,555Employer $ per active participant
$24,666Employee $ saved per active participant
0.05%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$65.6BNet plan assets, end of year
$368,909Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity46.6 / 5093th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost17.1 / 2568th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving13.4 / 1590th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
Total score80 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Information plans with 10,000+ active participants (30 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 93th |
| Lower admin cost | 68th |
| Employee saving | 90th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 60% |
Red flags from the filing
No red flags were reported on this filing's compliance questions.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Microsoft put in about $9,555 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.
- 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 | $1,159,497,574 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $2,993,204,994 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $418,009,289 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $32,279,436 |
| Contract administrator fees | $95,850 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $31,786,959 |
| Other admin expenses | $611,947 |
| Benefits paid out | $2,932,098,360 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $53.2B / $65.6B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 118,818 / 123,878 |
| Participants with account balances | 177,887 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Deloitte & Touche, LLP |
| Employer stock held by plan | $5,063,745,972 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Russell Investments | $13,313,150 reported compensation |
| Artisan Partners Limited Partnershi | $9,583,450 reported compensation |
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $3,520,925 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250627162504NAL0005423731001, received 2025-06-27, EIN 91-1144442, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.
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