Find an old 401(k)
Search the company you used to work for. We'll show the plans it filed with the Department of Labor and who to contact. Free, no sign-up, no Social Security number.
Found it? Your options
| Leave it | Often allowed if your balance is over $7,000. You keep the plan's investments and fees. |
| Move it to your new job's plan | If the new plan accepts roll-ins. Ask the new plan's recordkeeper. |
| Roll it into an IRA | More investment choices, and you control it. A direct rollover avoids withholding and penalties. |
| Cash out | Usually taxed, plus a 10% penalty if you are under 59½. |
General information, not financial or tax advice. Rules depend on your plan and situation.
How to track down the account
- Call the plan administrator or recordkeeper listed on the filing. Have your name, Social Security number and dates of employment ready.
- If the plan terminated, ask the administrator where balances went (another plan, an IRA provider, or a state unclaimed-property office).
- Over 65? Also check the Department of Labor's Retirement Savings Lost and Found database.
Common questions
How do I find an old 401(k) from a former employer?
Search the employer here to get the plan name, plan number, EIN and the plan administrator contact from the plan’s Form 5500 filing, plus the recordkeeper that holds the accounts. Call the administrator or recordkeeper with your Social Security number and dates of employment.
What if the plan was terminated?
A terminated plan files a final Form 5500. Balances are usually paid out, moved to another plan, or rolled into an IRA set up for missing participants. The plan administrator on the final filing can tell you where your balance went.
Is there a government database of lost 401(k) accounts?
The Department of Labor’s Retirement Savings Lost and Found database helps people 65 and older find plans that owe them benefits. Anyone can search Form 5500 filings by employer, which is what this finder does.
Contacts are as filed on each plan's latest Form 5500. PlanFacts does not hold accounts and is not affiliated with the employers shown. Not financial advice. Methodology