Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc. Retirement Savings Plan
Novato, CAManufacturing2,130 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$11,870Employer $ per active participant
$18,263Employee $ saved per active participant
0.01%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$715.0MNet plan assets, end of year
$218,667Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity49.2 / 5098th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost24.5 / 2598th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving14.8 / 1599th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score96 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Manufacturing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (2,376 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 98th |
| Lower admin cost | 98th |
| Employee saving | 99th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 59% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $99,267 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Biomarin Pharmaceutical put in about $11,870 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,320). 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.
- 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 | $25,276,297 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $38,890,702 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $5,795,424 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $54,811 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $46,511 |
| Benefits paid out | $69,418,876 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $616.8M / $715.0M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,320 / 1,939 |
| Participants with account balances | 3,270 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Dynamic Wealth Advisors | $11,913 reported compensation |
| Schwab Retirement Plan Services,inc | $8,250 reported compensation |
| Creative Planning LLC | $8,031 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251204130915NAL0001179187001, received 2025-12-04, EIN 68-0397820, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.