Description of the BB&T Corporation 401(k) Savings Plan

The following description of the BB&T Corporation 401(k) Savings Plan (the “Plan”) provides only general information. Participants should refer to the Plan agreement for a more complete description of the Plan’s provisions.

General

The Plan is a defined contribution plan sponsored by BB&T Corporation (the “Corporation”or “Plan Sponsor”). The Plan was established as a prior plan effective July 1, 1982, was restated most recently effective January 1, 2000, and is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”).

Eligibility of Participation

The Plan covers all employees who meet age and service requirements. Employees are eligible to make salary reduction contributions after 90 days of employment with the Corporation. Employees are eligible to receive matching contributions after attaining the age of 21 with one year of continuous employment in which they have worked at least 1,000 hours. Participation in the Plan is based on voluntary election by each employee.

Contributions

Participants may elect to contribute between 1% and 16%, in whole percentages, of their eligible earnings on a pre-tax basis subject to certain Internal Revenue Code limitations.

During 2001, the Corporation made matching contributions of 100% up to 6% of each participant’s contribution to the Plan.

Participants may make changes in their contribution percentage daily and can terminate withholdings at any time. Allocations among fund options offered by the Plan may be changed on a daily basis. Participants may also contribute funds from other tax-qualified plans as rollover contributions.

Vesting

Participants are vested immediately in their contributions, employer matching contributions and actual earnings allocated to their account.

Participant Loans

Participants may borrow from their account balances up to a maximum which is not in excess of the lesser of $50,000 or 50% of their account balance. The minimum loan amount allowed by the Plan is $1,000. Only one loan can be taken during the Plan year and a participant may have only one loan outstanding at any time. The interest rate charged on amounts borrowed is equal to the Corporation’s prime lending rate plus 1% at the loan origination date.

Payment of Benefits

Participants are allowed to withdraw certain funds from their accounts twice per year. Upon retirement, a participant may elect to have distributions paid from this account in installments, a lump sum or any combination of the two. Retired participants may elect installment payments to occur over a period not to exceed the participant’s life expectancy, or the life expectancy of the participant and beneficiary.

Participant Accounts

Each participant’s separate account is credited with the participant’s contribution and allocations of matching contributions, earnings on the account and administrative expenses. Allocations of earnings and expenses are based upon the market activity and fees of the investment options selected by the participant. The benefit to which a participant is entitled is the benefit that can be provided from the participant’s vested account.

Forfeitures

Forfeitures represent nonvested employer matching contributions of participants that have terminated their employment with their employer. As a result of transfers from other plans into the Plan during 2001, approximately $313,000 of unallocated forfeitures were transferred into the Plan. During 2001, the Plan used $249,683 of forfeitures to reduce employer matching contributions.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Accounting

The Plan’s financial statements have been prepared using the accrual basis of accounting.

Administrative Expenses

The Plan Sponsor may elect, but is not required, to pay recordkeeping and other administrative expenses incurred by the Plan. The Plan Sponsor has elected to pay certain administrative fees related to professional services provided to the Plan which aggregated $35,505 in 2001. Trustee fees are paid by the Plan and consist primarily of administrative services rendered by the Corporation’s Trust Division (see Note 8).

Investment Valuation and Income Recognition

Participants may direct the investment of their contributions as well as employer matching contributions between seven mutual funds, the common stock fund, a money market fund and a bank investment contract, each offering different degrees of risk and return. The Plan’s investments in mutual funds and common stock are stated at fair value. The fair value of mutual funds and common stock was determined by closing prices at the end of the Plan year. The investment contracts of the Plan are stated at contract value which approximates fair value.

Purchases and sales of investments are recorded on a trade-date basis. Interest income is accrued when earned. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Capital gain distributions are included in dividend income.

Investments in participant loans are stated at cost which approximates fair market value.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of net assets available for plan benefits at the dates of the financial statements and the reported changes in net assets available for benefits during the reported periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Concentrations of credit risk that arise from financial instruments exist for groups of counterparties when they have similar economic characteristics that would cause their ability to meet contractual obligations to be similarly affected by changes in economic or other conditions. Financial instruments which potentially subject the Plan to concentration of credit risk consist principally of mutual funds, bank investment contracts and common stock investments.

Payment of Benefits

Benefits are recorded when paid.

Party-in-Interest

The Plan invests in shares of mutual funds, bank investment contracts and common stock of the Corporation. The income of the Plan is derived from these investments, therefore, these transactions qualify as party-in-interest transactions which are allowable under ERISA.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts in the prior year financial statements have been reclassified to conform with the current year presentation. Such reclassifications had no effect on previously reported net assets available for benefits or net increase in assets available benefits.

Bank Investment Contracts

The Plan invests in fully benefit responsive bank investment contracts guaranteed by the Corporation. The contracts are credited with earnings on the underlying investments and charged for participant withdrawals and administrative expenses. The contracts are included in the financial statements at contract value. Contract value represents contributions made under the contract, plus interest earned at the contract rate, less withdrawals and administrative expenses. Participants may ordinarily direct the withdrawal or transfer of all or a portion of their investment at contract value.

There are no reserves against contract value for credit risk of the contract issuer or otherwise. The fair value of the investment contracts at December 31, 2001 and 2000 was $41,553,225 and $9,757,278, respectively. The average yield and crediting interest rates were approximately 6.10% and 5.35% for 2001 and 2000. The crediting interest rate of the contracts is based upon the last U.S. Treasury bill auction prior to December 1^stof year prior to the contracts issuance. Contracts are issued annually.

Transfers from Other Plans

During 2001, BB&T Corporation authorized the transfer of participants and assets from various acquired company plans into the Plan. Participant account balances including investments and loans receivable were transferred from the various plans at various dates during 2001 as follows:

Investments

The following presents investments that represent five percent or moreof the Plan’s net assets at December 31, 2001 and 2000:

Included in the BB&T Corporation common stock listed above at December 31, 2001 and 2000, respectively, are approximately 370,557 and 392,482 shares of BB&T Corporation common stock held by former Employee Stock Ownership Plans’which have been allocated to the participants’accounts. The fair market value of these shares is $13,382,984 and $14,644,478 at December 31, 2001 and 2000, respectively. The remaining fair market value of BB&T Corporation common stock of $709,444,698 and $721,332,635 at December 31, 2001 and 2000, respectively, is allocated to participants’accounts on a unitized basis.

During 2001, the Plan’s investments (including investments bought, sold, and held during the year) depreciated in value as follows:

Tax Status

The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has determined and informed the Plan Sponsor by letter dated September 6, 1996, that the Plan is designed in accordance with applicable sections of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”). The Plan has been amended since receiving the determination letter. However, the Plan administrator believes that the Plan is designed and is currently being operated in compliance with the applicable provisions of the IRC.

The Plan applied for an updated determination letter during 2002; no response from the IRS has been received.

Plan Termination

Although it has not expressed any intent to do so, the Plan Sponsor has the right under the Plan to discontinue its contributions at any time and to terminate the Plan subject to the provisions of ERISA. In the event of Plan termination, assets of the Plan would be distributed in accordance with the Plan agreement.

Party-In-Interest Transactions

The Plan received cash dividends of $19,167,385 on its investment in BB&T Corporation common stock during 2001.

Included in Plan assets are mutual funds sponsored by the Bank and bank investment contracts issued by the Corporation. Transactions in such securities qualify as party-in-interest transactions as defined by ERISA.

The cost of administrative services rendered by the Corporation’s Trust Division for the year ended December 31, 2001 was $2,047,441 (see Note 2).