New York › Educational services › 250 to 499 participants
Form 5500 statement · plan year 1 Jul 2024 to 30 Jun 2025
Nichols School TIAA-CREF Retirement Plan
Sponsored by Nichols School of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
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. Form 5500 contains no individual account balances. Look up the original filing at EFAST2.
Nichols School of Buffalo of Buffalo, New York sponsors Nichols School TIAA-CREF Retirement Plan, a 403(b) plan. Its Form 5500 for the plan year ending 30 Jun 2025 shows 335 participants (142 active) and $45.2M in net assets.
Net assets came to $134,986 per participant, well above the $48,746 median for defined contribution plans with 250 to 499 participants and well above the $73,018 median for defined contribution plans in educational services. The figure is an average across everyone in the plan, including former employees with small balances; Form 5500 holds no individual account data.
The employer contributed $433K during the year, or $3,052 per active participant against a same-size median of $2,017; participants contributed $699K and $121K arrived as rollovers and other contributions. Benefits paid out totalled $2.8M.
Schedule C lists 4 service provider organisations paid $5,000 or more, with reported compensation of $11K: $32.92 per participant, well below the same-size median of $141. Administrative expenses charged to the plan were $16K. Schedule C does not capture every cost: fees netted from fund returns and fees the employer pays directly are outside it.
Across the filings on record, net assets went from $23.6M in 2009 to $45.2M in 2024 (up 91%), and participants from 306 to 335 (up 9%).
The independent accountant's opinion on the financial statements was unmodified (unqualified), from an audit whose scope was limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C) to exclude investment information certified by a bank or insurer.
Compared with similar plans
| Measure | This plan | Same size | Same industry | All US DC plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $134,986 | $48,746 | $73,018 | $53,102 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $3,052 | $2,017 | $2,838 | $2,175 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $32.92 | $141 | $95.66 | $123 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.02% | 0.30% | 0.13% | 0.26% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $46.80 | $133 | $89.26 | $116 |
Peer columns are medians for plan year 2024 across defined contribution plans with 100 or more participants: 250 to 499 participants (17,456 plans), educational services (2,753) and all US plans (63,460). Fee medians cover plans that report an amount.
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Schedule C compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 335 | $45.2M | $134,985 | $433K | $699K | $11K |
| 2023 | 337 | $42.6M | $126,323 | $385K | $639K | $33K |
| 2022 | 333 | $39.3M | $117,976 | $384K | $683K | $28K |
| 2021 | 330 | $36.4M | $110,403 | $373K | $644K | $33K |
| 2020 | 310 | $41.3M | $133,142 | $376K | $594K | $34K |
| 2019 | 312 | $35.8M | $114,603 | $369K | $588K | $21K |
| 2018 | 310 | $36.4M | $117,277 | $356K | $561K | $16K |
| 2017 | 308 | $36.2M | $117,373 | $363K | $603K | $5,000 |
| 2016 | 320 | $34.2M | $106,928 | $367K | $614K | $0 |
| 2015 | 316 | $31.2M | $98,696 | $345K | $552K | $0 |
| 2014 | 313 | $31.1M | $99,281 | $321K | $534K | $0 |
| 2013 | 316 | $31.8M | $100,750 | $307K | $492K | $0 |
| 2012 | 349 | $28.5M | $81,759 | $301K | $447K | $0 |
| 2011 | 299 | $26.5M | $88,732 | $298K | $432K | $0 |
| 2010 | 335 | $26.7M | $79,809 | $315K | $445K | $0 |
| 2009 | 306 | $23.6M | $77,245 | $312K | $435K | $0 |
Years in which the plan filed the full Form 5500 with 100 or more participants, from 2009. Plan year is the year in which the plan year began.
Statement for the year
- Net assets, beginning of year$42,571,074
- Employer contributions$433,327
- Participant contributions$699,257
- Rollovers and other contributions$120,678
- Total contributions$1,253,262
- Total income, including investment results$5,482,798
- Benefits paid$2,817,971
- Administrative expenses$15,679
- Total expenses$2,833,650
- Net income$2,649,148
- Net transfers$0
- Net assets, end of year$45,220,222
Participants
- Active participants142
- Retired or separated, receiving benefits0
- Retired or separated, entitled to future benefits193
- Participants with account balances309
- Total participants, end of year335
Fees and service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiaa-Teachers Insurance and Annuity | Recordkeeping and information management | $11,027 | $0 |
| Global Retirement Partners | Insurance agents and brokers; Investment advisory (participants) | $0 | $0 |
| Actuarial Consulting Services | Other services | $0 | $0 |
| Lumsden & McCormick LLP | Accounting (including auditing) | $0 | $0 |
Schedule C, Part I line 2: providers that received $5,000 or more, with the form's own service codes. Individuals named on Schedule C (plan employees, individual trustees) are never shown and their compensation is excluded. Eligible indirect compensation disclosed by formula carries no dollar amount. See how to read Schedule C fees.
Administrative expenses on Schedule H
- Contract administrator fees$15,679
- Total administrative expenses$15,679
Investment structure
Assets at year end by Schedule H category. The form shows the kind of vehicle holding the money, not the funds on the menu.
- Registered investment companies (mutual funds)$32.2M · 71.3%
- Insurance company general account$11.6M · 25.7%
- Pooled separate accounts$1.2M · 2.7%
- Participant loans$108K · 0.2%
Audit and compliance answers, as filed
- Accountant's opinionUnmodified (unqualified)
- Audit scope limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C)Yes
- Accounting firmLumsden & McCormick
- Participant contributions reported as transmitted lateNo
- Covered by a fidelity bondYes, $500,000
- Blackout period during the yearNo
These are the plan administrator's own answers on Schedule H, Part IV. A reported late transmittal is the filer's disclosure of a timing lapse, usually corrected through the Department of Labor's voluntary program; the amount is the total involved, not a loss.
Plan characteristics
2FERISA section 404(c) plan2GTotal participant-directed account plan2KCode section 401(m) arrangement2LCode section 403(b)(1) arrangement (annuity contracts)2MCode section 403(b)(7) accounts (custodial accounts for regulated investment company stock)2TTotal or partial participant-directed account plan with a default investment account3DPre-approved pension plan
Codes entered on Form 5500 line 8a, with the labels from the official instructions. Business code 611000: Educational Services (including schools, colleges, & universities).
Similar plans in New York
| Plan | Sponsor | Participants | Net assets | Per participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Winston Preparatory School 403(b) DC Plan | The Winston Preparatory School | 338 | $38.8M | $114,782 |
| Urban Dove 401(k) Plan | Urban Dove, Inc. | 333 | $4.0M | $12,146 |
| New York Academy of Sciences Ra Plan | New York Academy of Sciences | 339 | $32.7M | $96,519 |
| Atmosphere Academy Public Charter School 401(k) Plan | Atmosphere Academy Public Charter School | 329 | $5.6M | $17,072 |
| Rippowam Cisqua School 403(b) Plan | Rippowam Cisqua School | 339 | $34.5M | $101,828 |
| Coney Island Preparatory Charter School 403(b) Retirement Plan | Coney Island Preparatory Charter School | 326 | $10.1M | $31,101 |
Defined contribution plans in educational services closest in size.
Questions and answers
How big is Nichols School TIAA-CREF Retirement Plan?
335 participants at the end of the plan year ending 30 Jun 2025, of whom 142 were active employees, with net assets of $45,220,222. Among defined contribution plans that places it in the 250 to 499 participants band, which held 17,456 plans in plan year 2024.
What does Nichols School of Buffalo contribute per participant?
The filing reports $433,327 in employer contributions for the year, which is $3,052 per active participant; the median for plans of the same type and size was $2,017 in plan year 2024. Form 5500 reports the total only. It does not state the match formula, and the per-participant figure is an average, not any one person's contribution.
What fees does the plan pay and how do they compare?
Schedule C reports $11,027 in compensation to service provider organisations, $32.92 per participant or 0.02% of net assets. The same-size median among plans reporting any Schedule C compensation was $141 per participant. Administrative expenses on Schedule H were $15,679. Investment costs deducted inside mutual funds and other pooled vehicles are not itemised on Form 5500, so these figures are a floor rather than a full cost.
Who runs the plan?
The sponsor is Nichols School of Buffalo. Recordkeeping or administration: Tiaa-Teachers Insurance and Annuity. Investment advisory or management: Global Retirement Partners. The financial statements were audited by Lumsden & McCormick. Form 5500 also names the plan administrator's signer and other individuals; this site publishes organisations only.
Was the audit opinion unqualified?
The filing reports an unmodified (unqualified) opinion from a limited-scope audit, in which the accountant did not audit investment information certified by a bank or insurance company. Unmodified (formerly "unqualified") is the standard clean opinion.
How current is this, and does it show my balance?
This is the Form 5500 for the plan year 1 Jul 2024 to 30 Jun 2025, received by the Department of Labor on 19 Mar 2026. Filings are due seven months after the plan year ends, or nine and a half with an extension, so the public record always runs a year or more behind. It contains plan-level totals only: no individual balances, contributions or names of participants exist in the data.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files (Form 5500, Schedule H, Schedule C) for plan years 2009 to 2025, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. This page shows the latest filing on record for EIN 16-0755808, plan 002, received 19 Mar 2026; an amended filing replaces it at the next build. Medians and percentiles are computed by this site; see the methodology. Report an error through corrections.