Waste Management, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Waste Management Retirement Savings Plan
Houston, TXAdministrative, Support & Staffing Services38,422 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$3,127Employer $ per active participant
$5,482Employee $ saved per active participant
0.04%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$4.1BNet plan assets, end of year
$91,589Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity50.0 / 50100th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost19.5 / 2578th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving14.1 / 1594th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-10 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score84 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Administrative, Support & Staffing Services plans with 10,000+ active participants (33 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 100th |
| Lower admin cost | 78th |
| Employee saving | 94th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 36% |
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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 ($383,767 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Waste Management put in about $3,127 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($271). 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 | $120,149,981 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $210,645,659 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $15,017,181 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $1,518,163 |
| Benefits paid out | $438,554,493 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $3.7B / $4.1B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 38,676 / 38,168 |
| Participants with account balances | 44,522 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Weaver and Tidwell, LLP |
| Employer stock held by plan | $341,492,867 |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Merrill Lynch,pierce,fenner & Smith | $1,518,163 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251010123318NAL0013120160001, received 2025-10-10, EIN 73-1309529, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.