How do I locate an old retirement plan?

If you believe you may have an old retirement account from a previous employer, there are several steps you can take to locate it:

1. Contact your former employer
   Start by reaching out to your previous employer’s Human Resources or Benefits department and ask them to review their plan records to confirm whether you participated in their 401(k) Plan. They should be able to provide information about the plan’s recordkeeper or where your account is currently held.
2. Review old statements or documents
   If you have access to an old 401(k) statement, plan notice, or tax document, it may include the name and contact information of the recordkeeper or service provider that administered the plan.
3. Check with the recordkeeper
   Retirement plans sometimes change recordkeepers over time. If you contact a recordkeeper and they no longer manage the plan, ask whether they can provide details about where the plan or assets were transferred.
4. Ask about small-balance or “force-out” distributions
   If your account balance was below a certain threshold, your retirement funds may have been:
   • Distributed to you as a check, or
   • Automatically rolled into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA)
     Your former employer or recordkeeper should be able to tell you where the funds were sent.
5. Search national databases
   If you are unable to locate your account through the steps above, you can search the following resources:
   • The National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits
   • The S. Department of Labor Abandoned Plan Database

These tools can help identify retirement accounts that may still be held in your name.