Moodys Corporation 401(k) Review & Grade
Profit Participation Plan of Moody's Corporation
New York, NYFinance & Insurance5,234 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$12,598Employer $ per active participant
$15,806Employee $ saved per active participant
0.04%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$2.1BNet plan assets, end of year
$254,803Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity46.7 / 5093th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost21.6 / 2586th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving14.2 / 1594th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score80 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Finance & Insurance plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (199 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 93th |
| Lower admin cost | 86th |
| Employee saving | 94th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 66% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($68,623,989 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $232,329 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Moodys put in about $12,598 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($4,489). 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 | $65,938,039 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $82,729,450 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $18,514,895 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $709,453 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $345,567 |
| Other admin expenses | $86,250 |
| Benefits paid out | $114,287,068 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $1.8B / $2.1B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 5,247 / 5,221 |
| Participants with account balances | 8,182 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | KPMG |
| Employer stock held by plan | $140,621,186 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $345,567 reported compensation |
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $277,636 reported compensation |
| Newport Trust Company | $86,250 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250926104359NAL0011702611001, received 2025-09-26, EIN 13-3998945, plan #002, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.