[lost401K]

I had contributed to a 401K plan at my former place of employment . I have no statements from it and would like to know how I can go about locating it. I had sent a letter to the former employers address but it was returned. I would like to fiind out if it still exists or where it is. Hopefully you give me some guidance in locating it.
Thank you

[ebaines]

There is no national clearing house for all 401(k) plan information, so some serious detective work may be needed. It's important that whenever you move you notify the administrator of your old 401(k), as well as your former employer so you don't run into this problem. Remember your account assets are with the plan administrator, not your old employer, so the goal here is to find out who the administrator is. Here are suggestions for things to try:

1. First suggestion is to look through your old financial records and try and dig up any old statements the plan administrator sent you. The administrator should be sending a statement to you at least quarterly - it should have contact information. I know you said you don't have any statements - but you should check again because this is really the only sure-fire way.

2. You say you don't have contact info for your old employer. Have you've tried 411 and web searches?

3. Failing that, most companies with retirement plans are required to file an annual "Form 5500" with the U.S. Government. You can search these 5500's for the name of your former employer at free websites like Welcome to freeErisa.com!. If you can find a Form 5500 on an old plan, it will have corporate contact information.
4. Another source for corporte information is the National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits (NRURB). They are responsible with keeping over 50,000 individual retirement accounts for individuals who have forgotten 401(k), profit sharing and other company sponsored plan balances that have been abandoned. http://www.unclaimedretirementbenefi...cipantSearch.m
5. The final suggestion is go online and search for abandoned property in the state you lived in at the time. If you have not been receiving statements from the 401(k) plan administrator they may now consider you lost, and they may have turned your assets over to the state. Every state has a program to try to reunite people with their lost assets. Here is a free web site that lets you search your state's database of abandoned assets: Missing Money Free Search for Unclaimed Property - Officially endorsed By The States. It's a good idea to do a search on every state you ever lived in to see if there are abandoned assets in your name.