How to Find an Old 401(k) Account
Workers change jobs every 4.2 years on average, according to the most recent Employee Tenure Summary from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Younger employees are far more likely to job hop than older generations, with workers 25 to 34 years old staying at a job for 2.8 years on average, compared with 9.8 years on average for workers ages 55 to 64.
Meanwhile, 56 percent of Americans said they were very likely or somewhat likely to look for a new job in the next year, according to a 2023 Bankrate survey, as more people prioritize flexibility, the ability to work remotely and higher pay in their jobs.
With all this hopping from job to job, it can be challenging to keep track of your retirement accounts. There were about 29.2 million forgotten 401(k) accounts as of May 2023, according to estimates from Capitalize, a platform that helps people roll over their 401(k)s. These forgotten accounts held assets worth $1.65 trillion in May 2023, or about 25 percent of all 401(k) assets.
Here's how to find an old 401(k) and what to do when you find it.