Current Events > Why is my 401k account balance $1,000+ more than my 'vested balance'

(+) Yeah! (+)

It's been crashing over the past month, but when I'm looking into my options with this, even just transferring the funds to my current 401k gives me this smaller balance. So if I'm losing over a grand just by transferring it (which I still don't even know how that process would work), another 30% loss in taxes doesn't even seem all that bad. I sure could use an extra 7 grand in my pocket.

Once youve worked long enough to become vested, the amount will go up
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ManBeast462 posted...

Once youve worked long enough to become vested, the amount will go up

Is the vested part what my employer paid? Is that just lost to me? I lost this job 3 years ago now...

Ok I think I figured it out. The account becomes vested 20% more each year of employment. I was at 4 years at this place so that leaves me with 80% vested. So I will never be able to get fully vested.

Because that portion is your unvested employer amount they contributed. Basically that's the company's money that you're never getting since you aren't working there to vest it with service time so you're gonna lose it whenever you roll it to your current 401K or to another IRA.
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