Have you ever changed jobs during your career and left behind retirement benefits? Now you can search a government database to find out.
The Secure 2.0 Act of 2022 established a requirement that the Department of Labor (DOL) create an online database as a lost and found for Americans with unpaid or forgotten employer retirement benefits. The DOL completed the database in December 2024. A retirement plan administrator’s participation in the program is voluntary and the information requested was for those participants who had (1) separated from service; (2) owned a benefit from the plan; and, (3) are age 65 or older. The research team at Capitalize estimates that as of May 2023, approximately 29.2 million left-behind or forgotten 401(k) plans exist, with about $1.65 trillion in value[i].
You can access the database by visiting the Retirement Savings Lost and Found website at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/laws-and-regulations/bill-of-rights/retirement-savings-lost-and-found. Once there, you will be able to create a login and will need the following for authentication:
- Legal first and last name
- Date of birth
- Social Security number
- A mobile device
- Front and back photo of an active driver’s license
We encourage you to use the database if you believe you have unclaimed or forgotten employer retirement plans. If you have any questions about using the database or would like assistance managing your retirement accounts, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your HBKS Wealth advisor. We’re here to help guide you through the process and ensure your retirement savings work for you.
Important Disclosures
Investment Advisory Services offered through HBK Sorce Advisory LLC, d.b.a. HBKS Wealth Advisors. Not FDIC Insured – Not Bank Guaranteed – May Lose Value, Including Loss of Principal – Not Insured By Any State or Federal Agency.
[i] The True Cost of Forgotten 401(k) Accounts (2023). Capitalize. (2023, June 13).
