Capitalize Review: Find Your Lost 401(k)

Posted by Martina Birk on Tuesday, January 16, 2024
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  • About Capitalize 
  • Overall Rating
  • Pros and Cons
  • How to use Capitalize
  • FAQs
  • How Capitalize Compares
  • Why You Should Trust Us
  • Redeem now

    Our experts answer readers' investing questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess investing products). Paid non-client promotion: In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners. Our opinions are always our own.

    Capitalize Start investing On Capitalize's website Capitalize Capitalize Insider’s Rating A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star 4.49/5 Icon of check mark inside a promo stamp It indicates a confirmed selection. Perks

    The fast, easy way to move your old 401(k)s — for free. Capitalize makes rollovers a breeze. From finding your old 401(k)s to helping you pick an IRA, Capitalize can help save you time, money, and hassle.

    Account Minimum

    None

    Fees

    None

    Pros
    • Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Free to use
    • Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Manages your roll over transfer for you, including administrative work
    • Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Easily compare IRA options from top brokers
    Cons
    • con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Can’t rollover assets into a new 401(k)
    • con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. No asset management
    • con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. No market access
    Insider’s Take

    Capitalize is a great platform for beginner investors who need assistance rolling over assets from an old 401(k) plan into a new IRA. It's not ideal for folks looking to roll over assets into a new 401(k) plan.

    Product Details
    • Earn a $75 Amazon gift card when a friend uses your unique referral link to submit a rollover with Capitalize, up to $525 per year.
    Show Pros, Cons, and More chevron down icon An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down.

    Bottom line: Capitalize is an independent investment platform that offers free rollover management for investors looking to transfer assets from a 401(k) plan into an IRA. Although Capitalize doesn't offer asset management or many additional investment tools, it can be a big help to inexperienced investors. You can't roll over assets into a new 401(k) plan with Capitalize. 

    About Capitalize 

    Capitalize is an independent investing tech platform that offers "hassle-free" IRA rollovers for old 401(k) plans. Capitalize doesn't offer its own brokerage accounts or market access. Instead, it acts as the middleman between existing or forgotten 401(k) accounts. 

    Capitalize partners with other investing platforms that offer rollovers. This includes some of the best rollover IRA platforms such as Vanguard, SoFi, and Betterment. It doesn't cost anything to use Capitalize's rollover and consultation services. It also doesn't cost extra to talk with a financial expert at Capitalize.

    Since Capitalize is an independent platform, you'll receive unbiased advice and guidance on your rollover. But keep in mind, that Capitalize is not a financial advisor, and its experts cannot give you individual investment advice or financial planning. If you want investment management, a financial plan, or information on different investment vehicles you'll have to look elsewhere. 

    What Is Capitalize Best For?

    If you have an existing 401(k) plan from a previous employer and don't know what to do with the assets in that account, Capitalize may be right for you. The platform offers unbiased, independent advice solely for 401(k) rollovers. It does not offer investment management, investment options, or financial planning advice. 

    Capitalize is a free service to help investors roll over assets into new or existing IRAs. The platform compares different brokers and firms based on fees, public reviews, investment options, and your goals. 

    It's not suited for folks looking to roll over assets from one 401(k) plan to another 401(k) plan. While Capitalize can provide educational resources on how to make that transfer, it cannot manage the rollover for you.

    Capitalize Review: Overall Rating

    FeatureInsider rating (out of 5)
    Fees (20%)5.00
    Account features (25%)3.25
    Access (20%)5.00
    Ethics (20%)5.00
    Customer support (15%)4.50
    Overall score4.49

    Capitalize Pros and Cons

    ProsCons
    • Free service and no fees
    • Educational resources on retirement savings plans
    • Manages your rollover for you (including administrative work)
    • Easily compare IRA options
    • Access to Capitalize experts
    • May have to wait a while to talk to a human
    • Can't rollover assets into a new 401(k) plan
    • Limited tools and no market research

    While you can schedule a call with one of Capitalize's experts at any point in the process, you may have to wait up to a month. Some customers have complained about long wait times. But this may vary depending on your availability. 

    Is Capitalize Trustworthy?

    Capitalize Money LLC does not currently have a rating with the BBB. BBB ratings range from A+ to F and reflect the bureau's opinion of how well a company interacts with its customers.

    Before issuing ratings, the bureau also considers a company's time in business (including the type of business it is), customer complaint history, licensing and government actions, and advertising issues. But the BBB doesn't guarantee that its rating will determine whether or not it will be good for you. 

    There have been no major lawsuits against Capitalize Money LLC in recent years. 

    How to Use Capitalize

    Capitalize uses human advisors and digital technology to simplify the process of rolling over assets from an existing 401(k) from a previous employer into a new IRA. It can even help you roll over assets from multiple 401(k)s. Capitalize's preferred method is to consolidate all your assets into a single IRA in order to minimize fees and help you keep track of your investments. 

    Rather than having to research and manage your 401(k) rollover yourself, Capitalize allows you to easily compare different online brokers based on their IRA offerings. The platform will also manage your rollover for you. It can roll over assets from accounts including a traditional 401(k), Roth 401(k), and 403(b). You may also be able to roll over your assets into a SEP IRA if desired. However, not all brokerages offer a SEP IRA option. 

    There are only three steps needed to use Capitalize:

  • Identify your old 401(k): You tell Capitalize where your old 401(k) is being managed. If you don't know, you can put down your old place of employment and Capitalize will find where your 401(k) is with the platform's existing database and research from experts. 
  • Pick a rollover IRA: After filling out a questionnaire on what you're looking for, Capitalize will give you IRA options based on fees, investment options, and other similar factors. The site also assists you in opening a new IRA account. If you have an existing IRA you want to use for your rollover, Capitalize can still help you manage and move those assets. 
  • Transfer assets: Capitalize takes care of communicating with your old 401(k) and rolling over your assets in your new account. This includes any required administrative work. Capitalize updates you throughout the process and experts are available to chat at any point. 
  • Capitalize provides educational resources on why it's important to roll over assets out of an old 401(k), what to do when you're changing jobs, how to manage your 401(k), and other topics.

    The platform also offers a referral benefit. If you share your referral link with friends through social media or email, you may qualify for a $75 Amazon gift card once a rollover is submitted using your link. You can earn up to $525 in Amazon gift cards per year. 

    Capitalize states on its site that depending on your plan, the processing time for a 401(k) rollover can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. 

    Keep in mind that Capitalize cannot roll over assets into a new 401(k) plan.

    Check out Insider's guide to the best online brokerages>>

    Broker IRA Options

    Capitalize examines different IRA options based on fees, public rating score, customer support, its own investment philosophy, and ease of use. It allows you to browse through robo-advisor IRAs, self-directed IRAs, traditional IRAs, and Roth IRAs. Depending on the brokerage, you may be able to open a crypto IRA or a SEP IRA. 

    Capitalize 's top brokers for IRA rollover are:

    But Capitalize can help you roll over your assets into any brokerage platform. 

    Check out Insider's guide to the best robo-advisors>>

    Capitalize Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Is Capitalize 401(k) rollover legit? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

    Yes. Capitalize 401(k) rollover is a legit service that currently has an A+ rating with the BBB. Capitalize LLC is also BBB accredited and has been in business for four years. 

    How does Capitalize make money? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

    Capitalize does not charge fees for their service, rather they make money from their partner brokerages if you choose to roll over your old 401(k) assets. Capitalize states that none of the partnered brokerages are allowed to impact the content on its site, and the fees you pay are never affected as Capitalize wants to remain independent and honest. 

    What is the Capitalize 401(k) tool? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.

    The Capitalize 401(k) tool allows you to find your old or lost 401(k) from a previous employer. If you don't know what brokerage managed your old 401(k), you can use the 401(k) tool to find your previous employer. After that, Capitalize finds your 401(k) for you. 

    How Capitalize Compares

    Capitalize vs. Meet Beagle

    There are many platforms that offer the same services as Capitalize. Both Capitalize and Meet Beagle are investment platforms that offer assistance for 401(k) rollovers. But then differ when it comes to fees, 401(k) management, and additional services. 

    Unlike Capitalize, which only helps and manages transactions for investors wanting to roll over old 401(k) assets, Meet Beagle uncovers hidden fees from brokerages, asset management, and even allows you to take out a 401(k) loan. Meet Beagle can also roll over assets into a new 401(k) plan. However, Meet Beagle isn't a free platform like Capitalize. You'll pay $3.99 a month with Meet Beagle. A 401(k) loan charges a $2 monthly maintenance fee and an initial fee of $99.

    Meet Beagle is the better option for investors looking for asset management and loan access. Capitalize, however, is a better choice for investors only wanting help transferring assets and finding a good rollover IRA option. 

    Related Terms

    • 401(k) plan: An employer-sponsored retirement plan funded by pre-tax or after-tax dollars. The money in this account accumulates compound interest over time. It's meant to be withdrawn no earlier than age 59 1/2.
    • IRA: An independent retirement account (IRA) is a type of tax-advantaged retirement savings account funded by pre-tax or after-tax dollars. IRAs offer more flexible investment options compared to 401(k)s. 
    • 401(k) loan: You can borrow money from your 401(k) account and pay back the money to yourself (plus interest). 401(k) loans are short-term loans meant to be paid back no later than five years. 

    Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed Capitalize

    We examined Capitalize using Personal Finance Insider's rating methodology for investing platforms to compare account options, fees, ethics, and customer experience when reviewing investment apps.  

    Investment apps typically offer multiple assets, trading tools, and other resources. Some investing platforms are better for more advanced investors and active traders, while others may be better for beginners and passive investors. Capitalize was evaluated with a focus on how it performs in each category.

    Junior Investing Reporter Tessa Campbell is a Junior Investing Reporter for Personal Finance Insider. She reports on investing-related topics like cryptocurrency, the stock market, and retirement savings accounts. She originally joined the PFI team as a Personal Finance Reviews Fellow in 2022. Her love of books, research, crochet, and coffee enriches her day-to-day life.  Read more Read less Top Offers From Our Partners Betterment Cash Reserve Account New Customer Offer: Earn 5.50% APY when you open your first cash account with $10 deposit. Terms apply. A tooltip *Current promotional rate; annual percentage yield (variable) is 4.75% as of 7/31/23, plus a .75% boost available as a special offer with qualifying deposit. Terms apply; if the base APY increases or decreases, you'll get the .75% boost on the updated rate. Cash Reserve is only available to clients of Betterment LLC, which is not a bank, and cash transfers to program banks are conducted through clients’ brokerage accounts at Betterment Securities. **The national average savings account interest rate is reported by the FDIC (7/17/23) as the average annual percentage yield (APY) for savings accounts with deposits under $100,000. Start Saving

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