If you're trying to locate a lost 401(k) plan from a previous job, you're not alone. There were about 31.9 million forgotten 401(k) accounts as of June 2025, according to estimates from Capitalize, a platform that helps people locate and roll over their 401(k)s. Their research showed that the "number of forgotten 401(k)s doubled over the last decade, driven, in part, by a period of heightened job switching ('The Great Resignation') with 3.8 million and 4.4 million accounts left behind in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
The value of the lost 401(k) accounts is substantial. The average balance of a forgotten 401(k) has increased by 18%, from $56,616 in May 2023 to $66,691 in March 2026. These 31.9 million left-behind or forgotten 401(k) accounts are estimated to hold approximately $2.1 trillion in assets, representing 25% of all 401(k) plan assets. This represents a significant increase from May 2023, when 29.2 million forgotten accounts were valued at $1.65 trillion.
