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-   -   How do I find a missing 401k (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=347603)

  • Apr 29, 2009, 09:23 AM
    fredtruck
    How do I find a missing 401k
    I worked for a company in 1993 and forgot I had a small 401k through them. The company was sold after I left employment. I don't know who the 401K was through. How do I find out?
  • May 3, 2009, 06:12 PM
    Zazonker
    This can be very hard to do. There is no easy "Search for old 401K" function that I know of. Info on 401Ks gets into privacy issues. An automated search function couldn't be built without having access to other people's financial info. Here is what I would suggest.

    1. Contact the state controller in the state in which you worked to see if they have funds from you that have been escheated. -- Some states may have someone other than the state controller to contact for this. Check into "unclaimed property" recovery procedures for your state. If that doesn't locate the funds, then:

    2. Search your brain, try to remember anything that will help. Maybe you can remember a piece of info that you hadn't thought of before.

    3. Do you have ANY ideas about the name of the plan administrator? For example, was it one of the big companies? Was it a local company? Anything at all will help.

    4. Try to remember the names of people that you worked with. Search for each of them. Contact anyone that you can find and ask them (1) if the know who the plan administrator was and (2) if they remember the names of other people who worked for the company back then.

    5. If you come up with any answers to the above, but not enough for you to find the funds, repost providing the additional information and someone here may be able to suggest additional steps or you.

    Good luck!
  • May 3, 2009, 06:24 PM
    ScottGem

    Plan admins are required to file info about pending benefits with the SSA. When you reach retrement age they will contact you. You can try contacting them.

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