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Industry · Form 5500 business code 522210
Credit Card Issuing: retirement plans
Plans whose sponsor entered this principal business activity code on Form 5500.
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. The business code is chosen by the filer from the list in the Form 5500 instructions.
20 retirement plans in credit card issuing with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024 (18 defined contribution, 2 defined benefit). All Form 5500 pension filers in the group reported 49,120 participant records and $4.44B in net assets.
The median defined contribution plan held $73,037 per participant, well above the national median of $53,031, and its employer put in $3,481 per active participant (national: $2,174). Among plans reporting Schedule C compensation the median was $197 per participant against $123 nationally.
Employers contributed $155M and participants $201M during the year, and the plans paid out $318M in benefits.
In 2009 the same group numbered 15 plans with $827M; by 2024 it was 20 plans (up 33%) and $4.44B (up 437%). From plan year 2023 the 100-participant line counts participants with account balances, which moved many plans to the short form.
Medians compared with all US plans
| Median plan, plan year 2024 | Industry: DC | US: DC | Industry: DB | US: DB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $73,037 | $53,031 | $142,812 | $86,234 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $3,481 | $2,174 | $0 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $197 | $123 | $133 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.21% | 0.26% | 0.25% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $165 | $116 | $185 | $527 |
Medians across plans with 100 or more participants (18 DC and 2 DB plans with a Schedule H here). Fee medians cover plans reporting an amount. DC: defined contribution, such as 401(k) and 403(b). DB: defined benefit pension.
Distribution of DC plans
| Measure | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $39,332 | $73,037 | $108,726 | 18 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $2,263 | $3,481 | $5,000 | 18 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $80.12 | $197 | $223 | 17 |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $58.52 | $165 | $253 | 18 |
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Plans 100+ | Participants | Net assets | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Median DC assets / participant | Median DC Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 20 | 49,120 | $4.44B | $155M | $201M | $73,037 | $197 |
| 2023 | 18 | 47,008 | $3.69B | $141M | $176M | $59,444 | $110 |
| 2022 | 18 | 46,526 | $3.04B | $238M | $151M | $37,566 | $101 |
| 2021 | 17 | 41,124 | $3.46B | $109M | $133M | $50,492 | $113 |
| 2020 | 14 | 39,915 | $3.06B | $107M | $123M | $49,143 | $80.33 |
| 2019 | 16 | 39,915 | $2.60B | $94.4M | $104M | $41,032 | $75.58 |
| 2018 | 17 | 48,663 | $2.10B | $77.6M | $95.9M | $39,036 | $92.92 |
| 2017 | 12 | 47,011 | $2.15B | $153M | $78.8M | $49,541 | $119 |
| 2016 | 12 | 45,025 | $1.72B | $60.3M | $70.2M | $40,183 | $109 |
| 2015 | 10 | 43,467 | $1.56B | $63.2M | $66.8M | $46,846 | $98.89 |
| 2014 | 14 | 41,801 | $1.64B | $52.9M | $60.3M | $43,584 | $64.54 |
| 2013 | 12 | 39,532 | $1.47B | $49.5M | $55.3M | $41,280 | $126 |
| 2012 | 13 | 38,514 | $1.27B | $49.5M | $56.4M | $33,606 | $89.50 |
| 2011 | 12 | 36,825 | $1.05B | $44.6M | $52.2M | $27,453 | $63.51 |
| 2010 | 13 | 34,462 | $969M | $39.3M | $45.5M | $26,089 | $59.43 |
| 2009 | 15 | 34,062 | $827M | $42.5M | $47.1M | $18,649 | $34.00 |
Plan year is the year in which the plan year began. The drop in large plans from 2023 follows a rule change: the 100-participant line now counts participants with account balances, so many plans moved to the short form.
Provider share
Service provider organisations named most often on the Schedule C of the 19 plans on this page's list, by number of plans. A plan usually names several providers.
Largest plans
The 19 largest by participants of 19 plans with a page on this site.
| Plan | Sponsor | State | Type | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer / active | Sch. C / participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discover Financial Services 401(k) Plan | Discover Financial Services | IL | DC | 27,261 | $3.21B | $117,721 | $6,477 | $87.32 |
| Discover Financial Services Pension Plan | Discover Financial Services | IL | DB | 11,889 | $482M | $40,531 | — | $188 |
| Premier 401(k) Plan | First Premier Bank | SD | DC | 2,088 | $241M | $115,227 | $3,819 | $208 |
| Credit One Bank, N. a. 401(k) Plan and Trust | Credit One Bank, National Association | NV | DC | 1,198 | $100M | $83,525 | $5,292 | $175 |
| Brex 401(k) Plan | Brex Inc. | CA | DC | 1,174 | $66.7M | $56,815 | $18 | $44.56 |
| Wise US, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Wise US, Inc. | FL | DC | 842 | $14.8M | $17,616 | $2,160 | $223 |
| Payroc Worldaccess, LLC 401(k) Plan | Payroc Worldaccess, LLC | IL | DC | 703 | $25.1M | $35,727 | $2,082 | $80.12 |
| Mission Lane 401(k) Plan | Mission Lane LLC | VA | DC | 685 | $33.2M | $48,436 | $3,354 | $33.86 |
| Bayfirst National Bank 401(k) Plan | Bayfirst National Bank | FL | DC | 632 | $19.7M | $31,248 | $3,372 | $62.84 |
| Kitsap Bank 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan | Kitsap Bank | WA | DC | 386 | $61.9M | $160,401 | $3,569 | $371 |
| Readycap Commercial 401(k) Plan | Readycap Commercial, LLC | NJ | DC | 309 | $26.9M | $87,157 | $2,680 | $282 |
| Vanco 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust | Vanco Payment Solutions, Inc. | GA | DC | 301 | $19.7M | $65,467 | $3,589 | $242 |
| Frontier Bancshares, Inc. 401(k) Plan | Frontier Bancshares, Inc. | TX | DC | 251 | $20.7M | $82,585 | $3,088 | $54.87 |
| Globalvcard LLC 401(k) Plan | Globalvcard LLC | FL | DC | 240 | $8.7M | $36,297 | $3,670 | $160 |
| Applied Card Systems, Inc. 401(k) Retirement/savings Plan | Applied Card Systems, Inc. | FL | DC | 215 | $19.2M | $89,223 | $0 | $276 |
| Imprint Payments 401(k) Plan | Imprint Payments, Inc. | NY | DC | 197 | $3.0M | $15,381 | $0 | — |
| Continental Finance Company 401(k) Plan | Continental Finance Company | DE | DC | 179 | $26.1M | $146,032 | $6,252 | $342 |
| Frontier Holdings, LLC 401(k) Retirement Plan | Frontier Holdings, LLC | NE | DC | 168 | $19.4M | $115,609 | $4,124 | $201 |
| Savings Bank of Danbury Trusteed Pension Plan | Ives Bank | CT | DB | 147 | $36.0M | $245,092 | $0 | $76.53 |
By plan size
By state
Questions and answers
How many retirement plans are there in credit card issuing?
20 plans with 100 or more participants filed Form 5500 for plan year 2024, out of 21 pension plans on the full form. Smaller plans file Form 5500-SF and are counted separately where shown.
What is the typical 401(k) balance in credit card issuing?
The median defined contribution plan reported $73,037 in net assets per participant (middle half of plans: $39,332 to $108,726); nationally it was $53,031. This is a plan-level average that includes former employees, not a typical person's balance.
What do employers contribute in credit card issuing?
The median defined contribution plan received $3,481 in employer contributions per active participant, against $2,174 nationally. Plans with no employer contribution are included at zero.
What are average 401(k) fees in credit card issuing?
Among defined contribution plans that report any Schedule C compensation, the median was $197 per participant and 0.21% of net assets (nationally $123 and 0.26%). Schedule C leaves out fund expense ratios and fees the employer pays, so it understates total cost.
Where does this come from?
Form 5500 annual reports in the EBSA research files, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Medians are computed by this site across plans with 100 or more participants.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. Totals count every pension plan on the full form; medians and the plan list cover plans with 100 or more participants. See the methodology.