Retirement Account Tracker: 401(k), IRA, and More

Retirement savings often scatter across multiple accounts - 401(k)s from different employers, IRAs, Roth accounts, maybe a pension. Tracking them together provides the complete picture.

Built-in tracking: The Net Worth Tracker includes space for multiple retirement accounts with historical tracking.

What to Track Per Account

Field	Description
Account type	401(k), IRA, Roth, etc.
Provider	Fidelity, Vanguard, employer name
Balance	Current value
Contributions YTD	Amount added this year
Employer match YTD	Matching contributions received

Example Tracker

Account	Type	Provider	Balance	YTD Contributions
Current 401(k)	401(k)	Fidelity	$85,000	$7,500
Old employer 401(k)	401(k)	Vanguard	$42,000	$0
Roth IRA	Roth IRA	Schwab	$35,000	$3,500
Traditional IRA	IRA	Vanguard	$18,000	$0
Total			$180,000	$11,000

Update monthly - takes about 10 minutes once you establish the rhythm. Add year-end snapshot columns for total contributions and investment return (balance change minus contributions).

Contribution Limit Tracking

Current Contribution Limits

Account	Annual Limit	Over 50 Catch-up
401(k)	$23,000	+$7,500
IRA (Traditional/Roth)	$7,000	+$1,000
SEP-IRA	$69,000	N/A
HSA (individual)	$4,150	+$1,000

Limits may change - verify current year limits

Track Against Limits

Account	Limit	YTD Contributed	Remaining
401(k)	$23,000	$7,500	$15,500
Roth IRA	$7,000	$3,500	$3,500

Employer Match Tracking

Employer Match	Amount
Match formula	100% up to 6%
Your salary	$75,000
Max match	$4,500
Match received YTD	$1,875
Remaining match to earn	$2,625

Consolidating Old Accounts

Multiple 401(k)s from past employers mean harder tracking, potentially higher fees, and different investment options. One approach is rolling old 401(k)s to your current employer plan (if allowed) or a Traditional IRA (more investment options).

Rolling over might not make sense when the current plan has great low-cost options, you need access to the age-55 rule, or company stock has favorable treatment.

Investment Allocation View

Across All Accounts

Asset Class	Account 1	Account 2	Account 3	Total	%
US Stocks	$50,000	$30,000	$20,000	$100,000	55%
Int’l Stocks	$20,000	$12,000	$10,000	$42,000	23%
Bonds	$15,000	$0	$5,000	$20,000	11%
Other	$0	$0	$0	$20,000	11%
Total	$85,000	$42,000	$35,000	$182,000	100%

Compare Actual to Target

Asset Class	Target	Actual	Difference
US Stocks	50%	55%	+5%
Int’l Stocks	25%	23%	-2%
Bonds	20%	11%	-9%
Cash	5%	0%	-5%

Some people rebalance when drift exceeds 5-10%.

Retirement Projections

The Financial Planning Template handles projections automatically - enter current savings, contributions, and timeline.

Quick Estimate

Future Value = Current Balance x (1 + return)^years + Annual Contributions x ((1 + return)^years - 1) / return

Current balance: $180,000 | Annual additions: $20,000 | Return: 7%

Years	Projected Value
10	$635,000
15	$985,000
20	$1,470,000
25	$2,145,000

One common rule of thumb suggests 25x annual expenses. Not gospel, but a starting point.

Integration with Net Worth

Include retirement accounts as assets in your net worth, but some people also track a separate “accessible net worth” view:

Metric	Amount
Total net worth	$340,000
Retirement accounts	-$180,000
Accessible net worth	$160,000

Common Tracking Mistakes

• Forgetting old accounts. 401(k)s from past employers often get lost in transitions. Worth checking the National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits.
• Tracking balances but ignoring allocation. Without monitoring allocation, you might end up with unintentional risk.
• Missing employer match tracking. Worth tracking whether you’re getting the full match available.

Related

• Financial Planning Template - Retirement projections and planning
• Net Worth Tracker - Retirement account tracking built-in
• Tracking Investments in Net Worth Spreadsheet
• Net Worth Projections: Forecasting Your Financial Future
• How Often to Calculate Net Worth