Forgotten Pension? Search This Free Federal Database for Money You May Be Owed

That old job may still owe you a pension

Did you work years ago at a company with a pension plan? If the company closed, merged, or shut down its plan, the money owed to you did not just disappear.

When a pension plan ends and the company cannot find a worker, the money can get turned over to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). That is a federal agency that protects pensions. It keeps a list of people it is trying to find.

You might be on that list and not know it. People move. Companies change names. Letters get lost. The money stays waiting.

Who ends up in the unclaimed list

You could have a forgotten pension if you worked at a company that no longer exists, or that closed its pension plan.

You can also check for a relative who has passed away. If a parent or spouse earned a pension and never claimed it, a survivor may be owed that money. The same free search works for their name.

There is no cost to search and no cost to claim what is yours. PBGC is a government agency. You never need to pay a middleman to find or collect a federal pension.

Why checking is worth a few minutes

The search is quick and free. You type in a name or a company and see if there is a match.

Nobody can promise you will find money. But many people have no idea their old employer left a pension in their name. A short search tells you for sure.

If you find a match, PBGC walks you through the steps to claim it. You do not need a lawyer or a paid service to do this.

Frequently asked questions

Does it cost anything to search or claim a pension?

No. The PBGC search is free, and claiming a federal pension is free. You never have to pay anyone to find or collect money that is yours.

Can I search for a relative who has died?

Yes. If a parent or spouse earned a pension and did not claim it, a survivor may be owed that money. You can search their name on the same PBGC page.

What if my old company no longer exists?

That is exactly the kind of case PBGC handles. When a pension plan ends and the company cannot be reached, the money can be turned over to PBGC. Try searching the old company name.

Is PBGC a real government agency?

Yes. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation is a federal agency that protects pensions. Its official website ends in .gov.