How to Check Your 401(k) Balance

For many, a 401(k) plan is a cornerstone of their retirement strategy, offering a tax-advantaged way to save for the future. However, understanding how to check your 401(k) balance is crucial to ensure you’re on track to meet your retirement goals. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or just starting your career, regularly monitoring your 401(k) can provide valuable insights into your financial health and help you make informed decisions about contributions and investments.

If you want personalized financial advice on how to prepare for retirement, consider working with a financial advisor.

What Is a 401(k)?

A 401(k) is a tax-advantaged retirement plan. A 401(k) is set up through your employer and allows you to contribute a percentage of your paychecks to retirement. With traditional 401(k)s, that money comes out of your paycheck before it’s taxed, and you only pay taxes when you withdraw from your 401(k) in retirement.

While there is a limit on how much you can contribute to your 401(k) each year—$24,500 in 2026—you can otherwise choose what percentage of your earnings to direct toward retirement savings. Employees age 50 and older can make catch-up contributions of up to $8,000, and those ages 60 through 63 are eligible for a higher catch-up limit of $11,250 under current law.

Some employers will offer a 401(k) match and the percentage will vary from each company. For example, if you contribute 5% of your paycheck, your employer may contribute the same amount for each paycheck. Employer matching can significantly boost the amount of money you’re saving for retirement. So most people should take full advantage of their employer match if one is offered.

Why Is It Important to Check Your 401(k)?

A plan administrator is responsible for managing plan administration and overseeing ongoing compliance and operations.

As you age and your overall financial picture changes, you may need to revisit how much you’re contributing and your investment strategy. That said, there are good reasons for checking on your 401(k) to see how it’s progressing. As you age and your overall financial picture changes, you may need to revisit how much you’re contributing and your investment strategy.

As you age and your overall financial picture changes, it can make sense to revisit how much you’re contributing to your 401(k) and how your financial investments are allocated. Periodic check-ins can help you see how the account is progressing and whether adjustments are needed based on your current goals and circumstances.

It’s important to keep track of which funds are performing well and which are not in your 401(k), so that you can rebalance your portfolio if needed to maintain your desired asset allocation.

Markets change, and you want to make sure that the assets in your portfolio are appropriately allocated to meet your timelines, goals and risk tolerance. Rebalancing when needed can help you during a market downturn.

Not checking your 401(k) can lead to lower returns, ultimately affecting your retirement goals. Looking at your 401(k) regularly will allow you to notice if you need to make tweaks to stay on track.

How Often Should You Check Your 401(k)?

Even though checking on your 401(k) is important, it’s not something you should be doing every day, every week or even every month. Many experts will advise you to check in between two to four times a year.

When you check in, you should examine your balance and your investment portfolio with an eye to the future. Are you on track to retire as planned? These days, many 401(k) portals will offer tools to help you forecast and see if your current contribution and investment strategy have you on the right trajectory.

You can also use a 401(k) calculator like SmartAsset’s to take a look at how your current plan and situation are likely to work out in the long run.

How to Locate All of Your Past 401(k)s

If you know you have 401(k)s out there, like from past employers, there are ways you can locate them so that you don’t just lose that money. If you don’t know how to find it, here’s what to do.

First, contact the employer who sponsored the 401(k). If it’s your current company, you can speak to a human resources representative and ask them to help you get into your account. And if it’s a past employer, as long as they’re still in business you can do the same.

If the employer is out of business and you can’t reach out, time for a little detective work. Go through your financial statements, your email and any other place you may be stashing important documents and see if you can find a statement.

If you find a statement for your 401(k), you can reach out to the financial institution that services your 401(k) and gain access that way.

In addition, you may be able to find more information by searching the National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits. Enter your Social Security number and see if any information comes up.

Other places to search are the U.S. Department of Labor’s Abandoned Plan database and the Form 5500 database. Since companies have to file a Form 5500 for employee benefit plans, you may be able to find contact information for a plan administrator.

How to Contact Your 401(k) Administrators

The plan administrator is typically an officer or employee responsible for overseeing how a company’s 401(k) plan is run.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, the plan administrator is an officer or employee of the company that holds the 401(k). This person makes sure that the plan is administered correctly and oversees ongoing activities related to the plan. The most straightforward method would be to call that company and ask to speak with the plan administrator.

Another way to track down your 401(k) administrator is to use the above-mentioned Form 5500 database from the Department of Labor—your administrator’s contact information should be on the form. That information may also be on your 401(k) statement if you were able to track one down.

Working with a financial advisor can also make this easier as they can manage that part of the process for you.

How to Check Your 401(k) Balance Step by Step

The most common way to check your 401(k) balance is through your plan provider’s website or mobile app. Most employers use a third-party financial institution to administer their retirement plans. You can log in using credentials you created when you enrolled. Once logged in, your account dashboard typically displays your current balance, recent contributions and investment holdings.

If you do not know who your plan provider is, start with your employer. Many companies offer access through an internal benefits or payroll portal that links directly to the 401(k) platform. Human resources can also provide the plan provider’s name and the correct website or phone number if you need to register or reset access.

After accessing your account, review the account summary page. This section usually shows your total balance, employee contributions, employer matching contributions and year-to-date activity. You can also view transaction history to confirm that contributions from recent paychecks are being deposited as expected.

Most 401(k) dashboards include a breakdown of how your money is invested. This section lists each fund, the amount invested and recent performance. Reviewing this information helps you track how your contributions are allocated across asset classes and whether your current mix aligns with your time horizon.

If you cannot access your account online, you can request a balance by phone or by paper statement. Plan providers are required to issue periodic statements, either electronically or by mail. These statements show your balance as of a specific date and include contribution and investment details.

Bottom Line

Keeping tabs on your 401(k) balance is a straightforward habit that pays off over time. Most plan providers offer online portals and mobile apps where you can view your balance, track contributions, and monitor investment performance. Checking in regularly helps you catch discrepancies early and stay on top of whether your savings are on track.

Accounts left with former employers can be difficult to manage, particularly when they are spread across multiple providers. Consolidating them is one way to simplify things.

“If you’ve changed jobs in the last year and had a 401(k) through your previous employer, consider rolling it into an IRA for easier management and access to more investment options. Just be sure to initiate a direct rollover to preserve your tax-deferred funds. An indirect rollover, where the funds are paid to you first, can cause unnecessary tax issues,” said Tanza Loudenback, CFP®.

Tanza Loudenback, Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®), provided the quote used in this article. Please note that Tanza is not a participant in SmartAsset AMP, is not an employee of SmartAsset and has been compensated. The opinion voiced in the quote is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations.

Tips For a Successful Retirement

Planning for retirement can be a challenging proposition with a multitude of factors. A financial advisor can take a comprehensive look at your finances and help manage your money on your behalf. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with vetted financial advisors who serve your area, and you can have a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one you feel is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Will you have enough to retire? Use SmartAsset’s 401(k) calculator to figure out how your income, employer matches, taxes and other factors will affect how your 401(k) grows over time.