How to list your retirement accounts so they can be found

Start with the jobs, not the accounts

Most people remember the accounts they have now and forget the ones from jobs they left years ago. So work backwards through your jobs, newest to oldest. For each employer, ask yourself whether you joined a retirement plan there. If you did, write the employer's name and the years you worked there. You do not need the account number yet. The job is the thread that leads back to the account.

Old pay stubs, tax returns and offer letters can jog your memory. So can a quick look through old email for plan statements or notices about a plan closing or moving. Take your time. A list built over a couple of evenings is fine.

What goes on the list for each account

For each plan or account, write down enough that someone else could call and ask about it without you there. Keep it plain and consistent, one entry per account, in the same order every time.

• The name of the plan or account, and what kind of account it is
• The company or provider that holds it now, and any former name you know it by
• Your account or plan number, if you have it
• The employer and dates of service it came from, for workplace plans
• Who the money goes to if you die, as you understand it now
• Where the paperwork lives, such as a folder, a drawer or a file on your computer
• The phone number or web address you would use to reach the provider

That last item matters more than people expect. Your family may need to reach the provider directly, and the company's current help page will have the exact steps. If you cannot find a phone number, write the provider's name exactly as it appears on a statement and leave it at that.

Empty out the old plan cupboard

Some people have several small accounts from short jobs. They are easy to lose and easy to forget. You have two jobs here: list them, and decide whether to leave them where they are or move them somewhere simpler. That second decision is yours, and it depends on your own situation. What matters for this list is that every account appears, even the small ones.

If you have already moved money from an old plan into another account, note that on the list too. A closed account with a note saying where the money went saves your family a confusing phone call.

Write down who to call and how

For each provider, add the route a family member would take. Some companies handle death claims through a dedicated team. Some have a form on their help page. Some ask for a death certificate before they will talk about the account. You do not need to describe the whole process. Just note the first step you would take, and check the provider's current help page for the details that apply now.

If you have a will, a power of attorney or a letter of wishes, note where each one sits in relation to these accounts. A short line like "will in the blue folder, top shelf" is enough. You can read more about naming the right people in legacy contacts and about matching each paper to its job in which paper does what.

Keep the list where it can be found

A list nobody can find is not much help. Put it in the Accounts and money section of your envelope, and keep a copy somewhere your family knows to look. Tell one or two people that the list exists and roughly where it lives. You do not have to hand over account numbers to do that. Pointing someone to the envelope is enough.

If you are still deciding how to set up the envelope, how it works walks through the steps. And if you want a wider view of what else belongs in your affairs, the checklist covers the other sections.

Check it once a year

Retirement accounts change hands. Providers merge, plans close, employers rename themselves. Once a year, open the list and go down it. Update any provider name that has changed, add a new account, and cross out one you have closed. Do it at the same time each year, perhaps when you review your other papers.

When the list is done, read it as if you were someone else. Could a family member follow it without guessing? If a line is vague, tighten it. A clear list with a name, a number and a first step is worth more than a perfect one you never finish.