American Express 401(k) match, vesting and fees

Company Matching Contributions and investment earnings thereon are immediately 100% vested. Fixed Rate Contributions and investment earnings thereon are 100% vested after the earlier of three years of service or, if still employed by the Company or an affiliate, at or after attainment of age 65, disability or death.

Eligible employees hired for the first time on or after January 1, 2017 as well as eligible employees rehired on or after January 1, 2022 are automatically enrolled to make Before-Tax Contributions equal to 6% of Total Pay, with a 1% automatic increase each year until the rate reaches 10%, unless the employee makes an alternative election to contribute at a different rate or opt out of automatic enrollment.

Each pay period, participants may make Before-Tax Contributions, Roth Contributions, and/or After-Tax Contributions up to 10% of eligible compensation, or a combination thereof, not to exceed 80% of their Total Pay, to the Plan through payroll deductions. Roth Contributions are a special type of after-tax contribution and are subject to most of the same rules as Before-Tax Contributions. The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) imposes a limitation that is adjusted annually for cost of living increases on participants’ pre-tax and Roth contributions to plans which are qualified under Code Section 401(k) and other specified tax-favored plans.

Notes receivable from participants (loans) are carried at their unpaid principal balance plus any accrued but unpaid interest. Participants are allowed to apply for a loan from the Plan for a minimum amount of $500 up to the lesser of $50,000 or 50% of their vested balance, subject to certain restrictions set forth in the Plan and the Code, and to potentially higher limits in the event a participant has experienced a loss due to a qualifying natural disaster. General purpose loans are limited to terms of 59 months. Loans to purchase a principal residence have a maximum term of 359 months. Extensions may apply in the event a participant is absent on military leave or is affected by a qualifying natural disaster. Loan repayment amounts, including principal and interest, are deducted each pay period and allocated to participants’ investment accounts in accordance with the election in effect for new contributions at the time of repayment. Terminated participants who have an outstanding loan may make arrangements with the Plan’s recordkeeper to pay the loan in full, or make installment payments. If arrangements are not made for the payment of the outstanding loan balance, the loan amount will be considered in default and the outstanding loan balance will be offset from the account balance, subject to income tax regulations. Loans are collateralized by the participant’s remaining vested account balance and the interest rate is fixed for the life of the loan. The interest rate determination is based on the prime rate plus one percentage point. In the event of a loan default, the loan is treated as a distribution (i.e., as an early withdrawal of funds from the Plan for tax purposes), which subjects the participant to income tax plus any penalties imposed by the Code based on the loan balance. If the participant is still employed, the loan balance is taxed as a “deemed distribution” but remains outstanding as an obligation of the participant until it is either repaid or the participant terminates employment. In the event of a termination, either voluntary or involuntary, the loan balance is treated as an actual distribution and deducted from the participant’s Plan account balance. Loans outstanding to participants at December 31, 2024, carried interest rates varying from 3.25% to 9.50% and will mature at various dates through February 23, 2052.