State by plan year · filing still open
Alabama retirement plan filings, 2025
Plan years beginning in 2025, as filed with the Department of Labor.
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.
For plan years beginning in 2025, 445 pension plans based in Alabama filed the full Form 5500, 94 of them with 100 or more participants (92 defined contribution, 2 defined benefit). Filing for 2025 is still open, so these counts are partial and will rise.
Those filings reported 139,553 participant records and $8.75B in net assets, 0.4% of the national total. Employers contributed $236M, participants $427M, and $843M was paid in benefits.
21 filings were marked as a plan's first return and 44 as its final return. A further 4,562 small plans filed the short Form 5500-SF, with 129,108 participants and $8.30B in net assets.
Alabama and the United States, 2025
| Measure | Alabama | United States | Alabama share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pension plans on Form 5500 | 445 | 39,010 | 1.1% |
| Plans with 100+ participants | 94 | 9,994 | 0.9% |
| Participant records | 139,553 | 17,452,337 | 0.8% |
| Net assets | $8.75B | $2.11T | 0.4% |
| Employer contributions | $236M | $45.7B | 0.5% |
| Participant contributions | $427M | $76.4B | 0.6% |
| Benefits paid | $843M | $194.9B | 0.4% |
| First returns | 21 | 2,324 | 0.9% |
| Final returns | 44 | 2,691 | 1.6% |
| Small plans on Form 5500-SF | 4,562 | 558,064 | 0.8% |
Median plan, 2025
| Plans with 100+ participants | AL: DC | US: DC | AL: DB | US: DB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $51,045 | $72,643 | $108,379 | $101,800 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $1,896 | $2,491 | $14,335 | $9,030 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $127 | $143 | $375 | $292 |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $116 | $137 | $467 | $463 |
Change from 2024
| Measure | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plans with 100+ participants | 794 | 94 | down 88% |
| Participant records | 803,341 | 139,553 | down 83% |
| Net assets | $50.3B | $8.75B | down 83% |
| Employer contributions | $1.60B | $236M | down 85% |
| Median DC assets per participant | $43,932 | $51,045 | up 16% |
Plan year 2025 is still being filed, so the change column mostly reflects missing filings.
All Alabama plans, providers and the largest plans
Questions and answers
How many retirement plans filed in Alabama for 2025?
445 pension plans on the full Form 5500 (94 with 100 or more participants) and 4,562 small plans on Form 5500-SF.
How many new and terminated plans were there?
21 full-form filings were marked as a first return and 44 as a final return. A final return is filed when a plan terminates or merges into another plan.
What was the median plan like?
The median defined contribution plan with 100 or more participants held $51,045 per participant, and the median employer contribution was $1,896 per active participant.
Why is the state the sponsor's state?
Form 5500 records the plan sponsor's address, not where participants live. A national employer's plan is counted once, in the state of its headquarters filing address.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 and Form 5500-SF research files for 2025, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. First and final returns are the filer's own check-boxes on the form. See the methodology.