Account Discovery

Find and secure retirement accounts after a death

Q: Who can use Sunset?

Sunset can be used by family members, executors, administrators, and personal representatives responsible for settling a deceased person's estate. Sunset supports asset discovery and probate across all 50 states and every U.S. county, helping you manage the estate regardless of where the deceased lived or where the estate is being settled.

Track down every 401(k), IRA, and pension the deceased left behind, including plans from employers they left decades ago.

begin search

Process & Timing Retirement Account Types FAQs Additional Resources

Uncover 401(k), IRA, pensions & more

The first step is account discovery

We can scan major retirement custodians, employers, and government sources for matches on all kinds of retirement accounts including IRAs, 401(k), pension plans, and more.

Our search for retirement accounts is comprehensive, with major institutions like Vanguard, Fidelity, Voya, etc. and every small fund manager in the US as well.

Then you can request rollover or transfer

When you are ready, use Sunset to contact the retirement fund directly to manage an inheritance transfer or rollover. This gives families and financial institutions the confidence that the right accounts are being handled by the right heirs.

With us you can trust that valuable retirement savings won’t get stuck in limbo. Search results are typically avaialable after one business day.

$60 Billion

in unclaimed retirement annually

1 in 3

families miss at least one retirement account

>$100 Million

discovered by Sunset's search tool

Types of retirement accounts we can discover

401(k) / Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan

When an employer is notified of a participant’s death, the 401(k) is frozen and plan administrators like Fidelity, Schwab, and Empower will begin the work to transfer to listed beneficiaries. We identify active and old 401(k) accounts, work with plan administrators to verify beneficiaries, and initiate rollovers or lump-sum distributions into the estate or inherited accounts.

Traditional IRA

Banks or custodians will flag a Traditional IRA after death and wait for beneficiary claims before distributions can be made. We identify accounts and beneficiary designations, then guide you through required minimum distribution (RMD) rules and help initiate transfers or payouts in compliance with IRS regulations.

Identify active and old accounts, then work with plan administrators to verify beneficiaries easily.

Roth IRA

Roth IRAs pass to named beneficiaries tax-free if distributions qualify, but custodians still require documentation. We uncover Roth IRAs, confirm eligibility for tax-free withdrawals, and help you initiate distributions or retitle the account as an Inherited Roth IRA.

Pension (Defined Benefit Plan)

Pension administrators will suspend payments upon notice of death until a claim is filed by the beneficiary or estate. We help you determine whether survivor benefits or lump-sum payouts are available, and work with the plan administrator to get payments restarted under the correct recipient.

“Thanks to Sunset, settling my grandpa's estate was a breeze. It made everything so clear and simple, and I didn't have to spend a fortune on legal fees.”

Debrah Carr

Trenton, NJ

SEP & SIMPLE IRAs

These small-business retirement accounts are treated similarly to Traditional IRAs. We uncover and identify SEP and SIMPLE IRA accounts, confirm contribution and balance history, and initiate transfers or payouts under the proper IRS distribution rules.

Military & Federal Retirement Accounts (TSP, Military Pensions)

The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) and military pensions stop payments at death and require detailed claim forms to restart benefits for survivors. We help you locate these accounts, generate and file required forms, and claim survivor benefits or death gratuities for you, in compliance with federal rules.

403(b) / 457 Plans

Nonprofit and government employer plans follow similar rules to 401(k) accounts but may have unique distribution options. We discover plans owned by the deceased, verify beneficiaries, and help elect the best payout option—lump sum, rollover, or periodic payments—based on your needs.