Check your bank and brokerage statements first

The fastest way to know if you have an IRA is to look at your own financial statements. Log into your bank's website or app and search for accounts with "IRA" in the name — it will usually appear as "Traditional IRA," "Roth IRA," "SEP-IRA," or "SIMPLE IRA." If you have one, it will show up in your account list alongside any checking or savings accounts you hold there.

If you've moved banks or brokerages in the past few years, check your old institutions too. Many people open an IRA at one place, then forget about it when they switch banks. Log into any financial institution where you've held accounts and look for IRA holdings. You can also call their customer service line and ask directly — they can tell you in minutes whether an IRA exists under your name and Social Security number.

If you've received mail from a financial institution about an IRA but can't remember which one, look for statements or letters in your files. The envelope will have the institution's name and a phone number. Call that number with your Social Security number ready, and they can confirm whether the account is still active.

Key Takeaways

  • Check your current bank and brokerage accounts online for any account with "IRA" in the name.
  • Contact any financial institution where you've held accounts in the past, because IRAs often get forgotten when people switch banks.
  • If you received an IRA statement or letter years ago, call that institution with your Social Security number to confirm the account still exists.
  • Your employer's HR or benefits department can tell you if you have a SEP-IRA or SIMPLE IRA through your job.
  • The IRS does not maintain a central registry of IRAs, so you must check with financial institutions directly.

Ask your employer about workplace IRAs

If you work for a small business or are self-employed, you may have a SEP-IRA or SIMPLE IRA set up through your job. Contact your employer's HR or payroll department and ask whether the company sponsors either of these plans. If it does, they will have records showing whether you enrolled and where the account is held.

Some employers automatically enroll employees in a SIMPLE IRA once they meet the tenure requirement (usually after 90 days of employment). If you've been at your job for several months and your employer uses a SIMPLE IRA, you may already be in the plan without having taken action yourself. Your paycheck stub should show contributions if this is the case.

Search for old employer retirement accounts

If you left a job and rolled over a 401(k) or 403(b) into an IRA, that IRA exists under your name at the financial institution where you rolled it. Check your records from when you left that job — you should have received paperwork about the rollover, and it will name the receiving institution.

If you can't find the paperwork, contact your former employer's benefits or HR department. They can tell you which financial institution received the rollover and provide you with contact details. You can then reach out to that institution directly to confirm the account exists and get access to it.

Check for inherited IRAs you may have forgotten about

If a family member named you as a beneficiary on their IRA and has since passed away, you may have inherited an IRA. The financial institution holding that IRA should have contacted you, but if several years have passed, the notification may have been lost or overlooked. Look for any statements or letters from financial institutions addressed to you as a beneficiary or in connection with an estate.

If you think you may have inherited an IRA but are unsure, contact the financial institutions where the deceased person held accounts. Provide the person's name and date of death, and ask whether any IRAs name you as a beneficiary. Financial institutions are required to locate beneficiaries, so they can search their records by your name and relationship to the account owner.

Review tax documents if you've made IRA contributions

If you've contributed to an IRA in the past, that contribution should appear on your tax return. Look at your most recent tax return and search for Form 1040 Schedule 1 or any mention of IRA contributions. If you claimed a deduction for a Traditional IRA contribution or reported Roth IRA contributions, you have an IRA somewhere.

Your tax preparer or accountant also has records of any IRA contributions you've reported. If you filed taxes with a professional, contact them and ask whether your returns show any IRA activity. They can tell you the year you opened the account and may have notes about which institution holds it.

Contact the IRS if you still can't locate an account

The IRS does not maintain a central registry of IRAs, so there is no single government database you can search. However, if you believe you have an IRA but cannot locate it, the IRS can sometimes help. Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and explain that you're trying to find an IRA you opened years ago. They can review your tax history and may be able to point you toward the institution where you opened it.

Bring your Social Security number and be ready to describe when you think you opened the account and which financial institutions you've used in the past. The IRS can see contributions you reported on your tax return, which narrows down the timeframe and sometimes the institution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have an IRA without knowing about it?

Yes, if someone else opened it on your behalf or if you opened one years ago and forgot. Inherited IRAs are the most common case — a family member names you as beneficiary, and you may not realize it until after they pass away. You should also check old employers, because some automatically enroll employees in SIMPLE IRAs.

What if I find an IRA I haven't touched in 20 years?

Contact the financial institution holding it immediately. Old, inactive accounts sometimes get closed or transferred to state unclaimed property programs. The institution can tell you the current balance, whether it's still active, and what steps you need to take to access it. If it was transferred to your state, your state's unclaimed property office can help you recover it.

Do I need to do anything if I find an old IRA?

That depends on your situation. If you're still working and have other retirement accounts, you may want to consolidate it. If you're retired and taking withdrawals, you need to know about all your IRAs because the IRS requires you to calculate required minimum distributions across all of them. Contact the institution holding the account to discuss your options.

What if an IRA is in my name but I don't remember opening it?

Call the financial institution and ask for the account opening date and the original contribution source. This will help you figure out whether you opened it yourself, whether it's a rollover from an old job, or whether it's an inherited account. The institution can also tell you whether the account is still active and what the current balance is.

Can someone open an IRA in my name without my permission?

No. An IRA must be opened by you or on your behalf by a court-appointed guardian or conservator. If you find an IRA in your name that you did not open and you are not under guardianship, contact the financial institution immediately and report it as potential fraud.