Amazon.com Services, LLC 401(k) Review & Grade
Amazon 401(k) Plan
Seattle, WAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services1,208,531 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$758Employer $ per active participant
$3,761Employee $ saved per active participant
0.02%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$34.6BNet plan assets, end of year
$36,674Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity10.9 / 5022th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost22.2 / 2589th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving3.3 / 1522th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score33 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 10,000+ active participants (70 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 22th |
| Lower admin cost | 89th |
| Employee saving | 22th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 39% |
Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($27,407 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $927,905 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Amazon.com Services put in about $758 per active participant, below the typical peer ($2,932). 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.
- 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 | $916,401,682 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $4,545,601,486 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $497,250,637 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $7,050,726 |
| Contract administrator fees | $59,400 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $966,068 |
| Other admin expenses | $8,227 |
| Benefits paid out | $2,427,116,434 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $26.2B / $34.6B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 1,209,303 / 1,207,759 |
| Participants with account balances | 943,213 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Ernst & Young LLP |
| Employer stock held by plan | $2,701,377,697 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $6,110,983 reported compensation |
| Strategic Advisors, Inc. | $633,262 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251013090823NAL0000403731001, received 2025-10-13, EIN 82-0544687, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.
Get notified when Amazon.com Services's next filing posts
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