Beagle review 2024: Find all your old 401(k)s once and for all

Who is Beagle best for?

Beagle’s a comprehensive 401(k) search service, so it’s ideal for anyone who’s misplaced one or more 401(k)s. The process is quick, taking no more than a few minutes to complete, and the platform is easy to use. Beagle also handles the rollover process, so you can easily consolidate all those newly found 401(k)s once and for all. It can then manage your new retirement account like a typical robo-advisor, recommending a portfolio of low-cost exchange-traded funds (ETFs) based on your risk tolerance, time horizon and investment goals. Beagle places trades for your account under a limited power of attorney, so you always maintain full control of your account and assets.

While free retirement account search services are available through government programs, they can be hit or miss. These programs rely on employers or custodians holding your retirement money to register you on the site as having an unclaimed retirement account for the tool to potentially populate results. This means these search services may not always be reliable. Beagle will track down all your old 401(k)s for you.

Beagle’s plans

What we like about Beagle

Beagle first and foremost offers an easy solution to help you locate your old 401(k)s that you may have forgotten about or lost after changing jobs.

Beagle is a comprehensive 401(k) search service

Whereas existing 401(k) search services may provide spotty results because the government databases they tap into rely on employers and plan custodians to upload information, Beagle positions itself as a comprehensive 401(k) search service. If there’s a chance you’re missing an old 401(k) and want more reliable results, Beagle might be the way to go.

Hands-off rollover process and investing

Beagle will not only find your old 401(k)s but also handle the rollover process if you want to consolidate all your old accounts in a single retirement account. Moreover, it offers automated portfolios of ETFs, and there is no minimum account size. Similar to other robo-advisors, it will automatically rebalance your portfolio and reinvest dividends.

Borrow from your 401(k)

Borrow from your 401(k) at 0% net interest. While you pay a 9.25% interest rate on the loan, you pay the interest back to yourself, not Beagle.

Where Beagle falls short

While Beagle lets you borrow money from your Beagle 401(k) account with zero net interest, it does charge a processing fee of 1% of the loan amount or up to $99 for each time a loan is funded. Beagle says this is to cover services rendered to transact the loan, provide record keeping or process scheduled repayments.

Beagle’s investment account option is also limited to managed portfolios of ETFs, which may be limiting to those who prefer a diverse portfolio of several asset types or the ability to manage their own investments. Beagle doesn’t offer a mobile app, so you’ll need to access your account via web browser.

Lastly, the company doesn’t publish its costs and fees on its website. You need to start the process before Beagle prompts you with the plan costs.

Beagle’s fees

Is Beagle legit?

Beagle is a legitimate company and is an SEC-registered investment advisor. All securities up to $500,000 are insured. Beagle was founded in December 2020, according to Crunchbase data, by Cyprus Ghazanfar, Jeffrey Tha and Shuo Jiao and is based in San Alto, California.

In terms of platform safety, Beagle limits access to personal information only to certain staff members who need your information to fulfill their jobs. The company also has implemented password protection, encryption techniques and firewalls to protect user data.

Beagle’s platform is easy to navigate

Beagle’s platform is user-friendly and easy to navigate and offers step-by-step directions to discover your old 401(k)s.

Beagle’s platform

Beagle’s platform is easy to navigate for new users. New and prospective clients start their journey by filling out basic details such as name, Social Security number, address, date of birth and former employer information. Then users can either manually enter former companies that managed their 401(k) or let Beagle do its research. If users opt for the latter, the system generates estimated fees they would have to pay for their specific 401(k) account over a 15-year time horizon.

Users then can opt for a $45 standard one-time rollover option or recurring premium option for $45 every three months to access features such as financial coaching and on demand 401(k) monitoring. If clients choose to skip this process, they are then given the option to take out a 401(k) loan.

Beagle’s reviews

Beagle’s customer support

Reach Beagle’s customer support in two ways:

• Email
• Online form

How to open an account with Beagle

Take the following steps to open an account with Beagle:

1. Go to the Meet Beagle website and select Get started or Start here.
2. Enter your name and email address and select Get started. Then, enter personal information, such as your address, date of birth and Social Security number.
3. Read and agree to Beagle’s authorization letter and select Continue when finished.
4. Enter your job history information to help Beagle with locating old 401(k)s.
5. Choose between the Starter, Standard or Premium account tiers and enter your credit card information to see your results, or select I’ll skip for now.
6. Complete the application by responding to the prompts and then finish by navigating to your account dashboard.

Eligibility and required information

• At least 18 years old
• Valid Social Security number
• US citizen or lawful permanent citizen with a physical address
• Email address

Customer feedback

Beagle 401(k) reviews reflects a broad spectrum of feedback across platforms like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Trustpilot and Reddit. On the BBB, experiences are negatives, with some users expressing frustration over customer service issues and unclear communication. The company has B- rating but is not BBB-accredite, and earns a one out of five stars rating based on only five reviews, as of June 2024.

Trustpilot reviews highlight positive experiences with Beagle’s user-friendly interface and efficient account consolidation process, though some customers report concerns about fee transparency and support responsiveness. Beagle earns a 4.7 out of five stars based on over 1,160 reviews.

On Reddit, discussions tend to echo these sentiments, with numerous users valuing the platform’s innovative approach to retirement account management, but also flagging inconsistencies in service quality and occasional challenges in accessing support. Overall, Meet Beagle garners appreciation for its practical service offering, tempered by ongoing concerns regarding customer support and fee clarity.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free way to find old 401(k) accounts?

Yes, there is an alternative way to find your 401(k) account for free. The National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits provides a free tool to locate old 401(k) accounts using your personal information. However, your former plan sponsor or custodian holding your retirement money needs to have registered you on the site as having an unclaimed retirement account for the tool to potentially populate results. Beagle is a more comprehensive 401(k) locating service.

Can you cash out an old 401(k)?

Yes, you can cash out your 401(k) with Beagle, but the team highly advises against it. You’ll have to count the amount you cash out as ordinary income, which means you’ll owe taxes on it in addition to a 10% penalty tax.

Can Beagle find my 401(k)?

Yes, Beagle can find your 401(k) if you include details of your former employer. You also have an option to enter your 401(k) details manually.