The first step that you should always take when trying to track down old 401(k) plans is to call the human resources department of each of your former employers. They should be able to tell you whether you still have 401(k) plans with their companies. If you can't find the number to the HR department, try calling your previous supervisor or boss and ask him or her to get you in touch with HR. If you have an old 401(k) plan statement available, then you can contact your previous plan administrator and they should be able to tell you where your plan is now. Or you can contact a former co-worker who still works at your old company and ask him or her to give you your plan's current contact information. Another way to find your old 401(k) is to search online at websites like www.unclaimed.org or www.missingmoney.com. You can search these sites for assets in any state in which you have lived or worked. If you do find an old 401(k) plan on one of these sites, you will probably only have to fill out a form in order to get it back. If your employer has been bought out or has merged with another company, then you can still search for your plan online at https://www.askebsa.dol.gov/AbandonedPlanSearch/ or https://www.unclaimedretiremen.... www.Freeerisa.gov also stores records of the paperwork from old employee benefit plans. If your old 401(k) balance was less than $5,000, then your former employer's plan administrator may have rolled your plan into an IRA. If your balance was less than $1,000, then the administrator may have simply cashed out your plan balance and sent the check to the most recent address they had on file for you. If this is the case, then you may owe tax and penalty on the distribution balance. But your former employer's plan administrator can tell you where your money went if it was rolled over.How to Search for My Old 401(k)
Old 401(k) Balance
How to Find Old 401(k) Plans FAQs
A 401(k) plan is a retirement savings account offered by an employer. Employees can contribute pre-tax money from their paycheck into this account and choose investments within the plan to grow their funds for retirement.
You should contact your old employer directly or speak to your former HR department if they are still in operation. If you have difficulty locating the information, you can also contact your state’s Department of Labor office to obtain the necessary details.
You will need your social security number and other identifying information such as past addresses, full name, and date of birth to locate the account.
If you are unable to locate your plan, you can contact the National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits or the IRS. They may be able to help you recover any lost funds associated with your account.
You should speak to a financial advisor or an experienced tax professional to determine how best to transfer your funds. In most cases, you can move your funds into a new 401(k) plan or an IRA.
True Tamplin is a published author, public speaker, CEO of UpDigital, and founder of Finance Strategists.
True is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF®), author of The Handy Financial Ratios Guide, a member of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing, contributes to his financial education site, Finance Strategists, and has spoken to various financial communities such as the CFA Institute, as well as university students like his Alma mater, Biola University, where he received a bachelor of science in business and data analytics.
To learn more about True, visit his personal website, view his author profile on Amazon, or check out his speaker profile on the CFA Institute website.