Washington › Other services › 1,000 to 4,999 participants
Form 5500 statement · plan year 1 Jan 2025 to 31 Dec 2025
Gates Foundation Employee Retirement Plan
Sponsored by Gates Foundation, Seattle, WA
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.
Gates Foundation of Seattle, Washington sponsors Gates Foundation Employee Retirement Plan, a 403(b) plan. Its Form 5500 for the plan year ending 31 Dec 2025 shows 2,785 participants (2,015 active) and $416M in net assets.
Net assets came to $122,376 per participant in plan year 2024, well above the $50,261 median for defined contribution plans with 1,000 to 4,999 participants and well above the $40,676 median for defined contribution plans in other services. The figure is an average across everyone in the plan, including former employees with small balances; Form 5500 holds no individual account data.
Schedule C lists 2 service provider organisations paid $5,000 or more, with reported compensation of $50K: $17.93 per participant, well below the same-size median of $82.05. Administrative expenses charged to the plan were $50K. 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 $9.7M in 2010 to $416M in 2025 (up 4198%), and participants from 902 to 2,785 (up 209%).
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, plan year 2024 | This plan | Same size | Same industry | All US DC plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $122,376 | $50,261 | $40,676 | $53,089 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $0 | $2,042 | $2,023 | $2,174 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $16.39 | $82.05 | $113 | $123 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.01% | 0.17% | 0.30% | 0.26% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $15.90 | $82.08 | $99.40 | $116 |
Peer columns are medians for plan year 2024 across defined contribution plans with 100 or more participants: 1,000 to 4,999 participants (10,229 plans), other services (2,681) and all US plans (63,607). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,785 | $416M | $149,433 | — | $35.0M | $50K |
| 2024 | 2,748 | $336M | $122,376 | $0 | $33.1M | $45K |
| 2023 | 2,557 | $278M | $108,581 | — | $30.1M | $37K |
| 2022 | 2,331 | $219M | $94,035 | $10K | $25.7M | $36K |
| 2021 | 2,120 | $252M | $118,775 | $1,000 | $24.2M | $31K |
| 2020 | 2,222 | $219M | $98,661 | — | $21.8M | $48K |
| 2019 | 2,050 | $174M | $84,691 | $41K | $18.7M | $44K |
| 2018 | 1,988 | $129M | $64,664 | $13K | $16.7M | $38K |
| 2017 | 1,794 | $121M | $67,706 | $26K | $15.2M | $32K |
| 2016 | 1,709 | $92.6M | $54,170 | — | $14.1M | $52K |
| 2015 | 1,589 | $73.8M | $46,432 | — | $13.0M | $39K |
| 2014 | 1,518 | $61.8M | $40,742 | $0 | $11.2M | $29K |
| 2013 | 1,406 | $47.3M | $33,634 | — | $9.1M | $24K |
| 2012 | 1,201 | $29.6M | $24,669 | $7.8M | $2.0M | $21K |
| 2011 | 1,026 | $18.3M | $17,853 | — | $6.9M | $15K |
| 2010 | 902 | $9.7M | $10,736 | — | $6.4M | $35K |
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$336,289,927
- Employer contributions—
- Participant contributions$34,962,019
- Rollovers and other contributions$8,086,549
- Total contributions$43,048,568
- Total income, including investment results$97,672,004
- Benefits paid$17,690,930
- Administrative expenses$49,930
- Total expenses$17,790,351
- Net income$79,881,653
- Net transfers$0
- Net assets, end of year$416,171,580
Participants
- Active participants2,015
- Retired or separated, receiving benefits58
- Retired or separated, entitled to future benefits709
- Participants with account balances2,699
- Total participants, end of year2,785
Fees and service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company O | Contract Administrator; Recordkeeping and information management; Participant loan processing | $48,346 | $0 |
| Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. | Securities brokerage | $1,584 | $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
- Recordkeeping fees$48,346
- Investment advisory and management fees$1,584
- Total administrative expenses$49,930
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)$409M · 98.2%
- Other investments$5.9M · 1.4%
- Participant loans$1.4M · 0.3%
Audit and compliance answers, as filed
- Accountant's opinionUnmodified (unqualified)
- Audit scope limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C)Yes
- Accounting firmKPMG, LLP
- Participant contributions reported as transmitted lateNo
- Covered by a fidelity bondYes, $1,000,000
- 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 plan2LCode section 403(b)(1) arrangement (annuity contracts)2MCode section 403(b)(7) accounts (custodial accounts for regulated investment company stock)2RParticipant-directed brokerage accounts provided as an investment option under the plan2S401(k) plan or 403(b) plan that provides for automatic enrollment2TTotal or partial participant-directed account plan with a default investment account3HPlan sponsor(s) is (are) a member(s) of a controlled group
Codes entered on Form 5500 line 8a, with the labels from the official instructions. Business code 813000: Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, & Similar Organizations (including condominium and homeowners associations).
Other plans of Gates Foundation
| Plan | Participants | Net assets |
|---|---|---|
| Gates Foundation Sharing Retirement Plan | 3,019 | $818M |
Similar plans in Washington
| Plan | Sponsor | Participants | Net assets | Per participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Hospitality 401(k) Plan | Columbia Hospitality, Inc. | 2,862 | $43.8M | $15,291 |
| Evergreen Goodwill of Northwest Washington 403(b) Plan | Evergreen Goodwill of Northwest Washington | 2,035 | $15.0M | $7,368 |
| Kalispel Tribe of Indians 401(k) Plan | Kalispel Tribe of Indians | 3,016 | $116M | $38,502 |
| SCRS Association Retirement Savings Plan | Society of Collision Repair Specialists | 1,521 | $29.6M | $19,466 |
| Gates Foundation Sharing Retirement Plan | Gates Foundation | 3,019 | $818M | $271,024 |
| Aviation Technical Services, Inc. Employee Savings Plan | Aviation Technical Services, Inc. | 1,420 | $107M | $75,158 |
Defined contribution plans in other services closest in size.
Questions and answers
How big is Gates Foundation Employee Retirement Plan?
2,785 participants at the end of the plan year ending 31 Dec 2025, of whom 2,015 were active employees, with net assets of $416,171,580. Among defined contribution plans that places it in the 1,000 to 4,999 participants band, which held 10,229 plans in plan year 2024.
What does Gates Foundation contribute per participant?
This filing has no Schedule H financial statement, so employer contributions are not reported here.
What fees does the plan pay and how do they compare?
Schedule C reports $49,930 in compensation to service provider organisations, $17.93 per participant or 0.01% of net assets. The same-size median among plans reporting any Schedule C compensation was $82.05 per participant. Administrative expenses on Schedule H were $49,930. 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 Gates Foundation. Recordkeeping or administration: Empower Annuity Insurance Company O. The financial statements were audited by KPMG, LLP. 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 Jan 2025 to 31 Dec 2025, received by the Department of Labor on 18 Sep 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 Sep 2026. This page shows the latest filing on record for EIN 56-2618866, plan 002, received 18 Sep 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.