Do You Have an Old 401(k) That You Can’t Locate ? Check out the new DOL’s Lost and Found Site

If you’ve ever changed jobs and wondered what happened to that old 401(k) from a former employer, there’s finally a government tool worth knowing about. The U.S. Department of Labor recently launched the Retirement Savings Lost and Found Database — a centralized search engine that lets you track down retirement plans tied to your work history by searching with your Social Security number. This matters because millions of Americans have left behind retirement accounts over the years that could still hold real value. With job changes, mergers, name or address changes, or simple forgetfulness, those accounts can fall off your radar even though the assets are still technically yours.

Before you get too excited, it’s important to know the tool isn’t a magic “find my money” button. It only pulls data from private-sector defined-benefit and defined-contribution plans (like 401(k)s), and it doesn’t cover IRAs, government plans (such as 403(b)s), or Social Security benefits. Even if a plan shows up in the results, it doesn’t automatically mean there’s cash waiting for you — benefits might have already been paid out, rolled over, or converted to an annuity, and you’ll still need to contact the plan administrator for specifics. To use the database, you’ll need a verified account through Login.gov, and while some info may be outdated or incomplete, this is a great first step for retirees or career changers to reconnect with long-lost retirement savings who had simply forgotten they had 401(k)s.

If you think this is neat, check out Alabama Unclaimed Property to see if you are owed money from a multitude of things, such as bill overpayment and escrow refund. It is quite surprising how many people are owed money and have no idea.