Cognizant 401(k) Plan

The Cognizant Technology Solutions 401(k) Savings Plan covered 54,490 participants with $3.04 billion in plan assets at the end of the 2024 plan year. Voya Institutional Plan Services took over as recordkeeper effective September 2024, replacing Empower, and the plan's prior MassMutual guaranteed investment contract was fully liquidated as part of the conversion. The fund menu is built around a BlackRock S&P 500 index fund, Vanguard growth and value index funds, and an American Century target-date series, with a T. Rowe Price stable value option replacing the legacy GIC.

Participants: 53,190 Plan assets: $3,043,677,413 Plan number: 001 Form 5500 plan year: 2024 Last verified: Jun 11, 2026 View Form 5500
Match
50% match on the first 6% of eligible pay per pay period, plus a discretionary year-end match
Vesting
Participants hired before December 31, 2021 are 100% vested immediately; for participants hired on or after January 1, 2022, the original five-year cliff was changed effective September 3, 2024 to 100% vesting after one year of credited ser
Investment Options
26 funds
Plan Size
$3,043,677,413

By Zac Murphy, CFA charterholder and CFP professional. Published June 11, 2026. Verified against Form 5500 plan year 2024.

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Fund lineup

Fund Asset Class Type
BlackRock Equity Indx Fund Fee Class 1 US Large Cap Index
Vanguard Growth Index Fund US Large Cap Index
Vanguard Value Index Fund US Large Cap Index
MFS International Diversification International Equity Active
Great Gray Mid Cap Growth Fund Class R1 US Mid Cap Active
John Hancock Discipl Value Mid Cap Fund US Mid Cap Active
PGIM Total Return Bond US Bonds Active
Vngrd FTSE All-Wrld ex-US Indx Fund International Equity Index
MassMutual Inflation- Inc Protection TIPS Active
Great Gray Small Cap Growth II Fund Class R1 US Small Cap Active
PIMCO Income Institutional Fund US Bonds Active
PIMCO intl Bd US Dollar- Hedged Fund International Bonds Active
American Century Ret Date 2045 CIT Target-date Other
American Century Ret Date 2050 CIT Target-date Other
American Century Ret Date 2040 CIT Target-date Other
AB US Large Cap Grwth CIT W Series Class P-3 US Large Cap Active
American Century Ret Date 2035 CIT Target-date Other
Stable Value Fund Stable Value Other
American Century Ret Date 2055 CIT Target-date Other
American Century Ret Date 2030 CIT Target-date Other
Columbia Trust Dividend Income Fund 2 US Large Cap Active
American Century Ret Date 2025 CIT Target-date Other
Victory Small Cap Value Collective Fund US Small Cap Active
American Century Ret Date 2060 CIT Target-date Other
American Century Inc Retirement CIT Target-date Other
American Century Ret Date 2065 CIT Target-date Other

Why our allocations use only index funds

The actively managed funds in this plan cost more per year than the plan's index funds, which run roughly 0.02% to 0.06%. Decades of research on long-term active fund performance do not support reliable outperformance net of fees, which is why the allocation ideas below may consider using only the low-cost index options.

Employer match

Match summary
50% match on the first 6% of eligible pay per pay period, plus a discretionary year-end match
Match cap 50% of pay
Effective match rate 6%
Vesting Participants hired before December 31, 2021 are 100% vested immediately; for participants hired on or after January 1, 2022, the original five-year cliff was changed effective September 3, 2024 to 100% vesting after one year of credited ser
Waiting period Eligible to participate immediately upon date of hire
$
Contribute this much to capture the full match
50% of your eligible pay, every paycheck.

50% match on the first 6% of eligible pay per pay period, plus a discretionary year-end match Contributing less than 50% of your eligible pay leaves part of Cognizant's match unclaimed.

What the match is worth at your pay After 1 year of service, contributing 50%
Annual pay Your contribution Employer match Total to 401(k)

Estimates assume a constant salary and the match formula shown above. Your actual match depends on your plan's exact terms.

The cost of contributing only --%

On a $60,000 salary, contributing just half the match threshold would leave about -- in employer match unclaimed each year. Invested over 20 years at a hypothetical 7% annual return, that forgone match could have grown to roughly -- (a hypothetical illustration, not a projection). The match is the highest-return contribution you will make all year.

Sources

  • Plan metadata (employer, participants, assets, plan year): Form 5500 annual return/report, plan year 2024 -- view filing
  • Summary Plan Description (SPD) and fee disclosure (404a-5), where available from the plan administrator.

This page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice, nor a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Information is drawn from public Form 5500 filings and plan documents and may be incomplete or out of date. You may consider consulting a qualified professional and confirming all details with your plan administrator before making decisions. Waterfall Planning is not affiliated with Cognizant.

Find your risk profile

Answer 13 questions to see which allocation fits your situation.

Question 1 of 13

Risk assessment methodology based on Grable, J. E., & Lytton, R. H. (1999). Financial risk tolerance revisited: The development of a risk assessment instrument. Financial Services Review, 8, 163-181.

Allocation ideas

Five sample mixes built from this plan's funds, from conservative to growth. Take the assessment above to see which one fits your risk profile.

Recommended for you (based on your risk profile)
Conservative
Conservative

Capital preservation with minimal market exposure, built from bonds and stable value.

US equity   International   Bonds   Stable value
PGIM Total Return Bond 70%
Stable Value Fund 30%
0% stocks / 100% bonds
Recommended for you (based on your risk profile)
Income & A Little Growth
Income & A Little Growth

Mostly bonds with a small stock sleeve for modest growth.

US equity   International   Bonds   Stable value
PGIM Total Return Bond 49%
Stable Value Fund 21%
BlackRock Equity Indx Fund Fee Class 1 19%
Vngrd FTSE All-Wrld ex-US Indx Fund 8%
Great Gray Mid Cap Growth Fund Class R1 3%
30% stocks / 70% bonds
Recommended for you (based on your risk profile)
Balanced
Balanced

A classic 60/40 split of stocks and bonds.

US equity   International   Bonds   Stable value
BlackRock Equity Indx Fund Fee Class 1 39%
PGIM Total Return Bond 28%
Vngrd FTSE All-Wrld ex-US Indx Fund 15%
Stable Value Fund 12%
Great Gray Mid Cap Growth Fund Class R1 6%
60% stocks / 40% bonds
Recommended for you (based on your risk profile)
Growth & Income
Growth & Income

Stock-heavy with a bond cushion for a long horizon.

US equity   International   Bonds   Stable value
BlackRock Equity Indx Fund Fee Class 1 52%
Vngrd FTSE All-Wrld ex-US Indx Fund 20%
PGIM Total Return Bond 14%
Great Gray Mid Cap Growth Fund Class R1 8%
Stable Value Fund 6%
80% stocks / 20% bonds
Recommended for you (based on your risk profile)
Growth
Growth

All stocks for maximum long-term growth potential, with higher short-term volatility.

US equity   International   Bonds   Stable value
BlackRock Equity Indx Fund Fee Class 1 65%
Vngrd FTSE All-Wrld ex-US Indx Fund 25%
Great Gray Mid Cap Growth Fund Class R1 10%
100% stocks / 0% bonds
Stay on track

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  • What your match is really worth
  • How to keep costs low with index funds
  • Plan updates when your filing changes

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These allocation ideas are educational illustrations built from this plan's available funds and a standard risk-tolerance assessment. They are not personalized investment advice or a recommendation, and risk tolerance is only one factor in an investment decision. You may consider consulting a qualified professional before making changes to your account.