How to Find the Ticker Symbols for My 401(k)

How to Find the Ticker Symbols for My 401(k)
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Your 401(k) account will not have its own ticker symbol. Instead, with a 401(k), your retirement savings are invested in one or more mutual funds or exchange traded funds. A separate ticker is assigned to each fund, which you can find by doing a little research.

Check Your Account Statements

The statement for your 401(k) account lists which funds you invest in and may include the stock symbols for each fund. The statement may be in paper form, arriving in the mail every three months. Or, you might be able to access your account information online through the custodian's website. Mutual fund tickers consist of five capital letters. ETFs have three or four letter symbols. It is possible that certain funds in your plan do not have symbols.

Go Direct to the Fund Company

If your 401k statement does not include ticker symbols, the fund companies that manage the funds in your account can provide the symbols. Look up the specific funds on the fund companies' websites. Another option is to get the fund prospectus from the 401(k) administrator where you work. A prospectus covers all of the information securities regulations require to be provided to investors. Many funds have different share classes designated by a letter, such as class A or class R shares. Make sure you find the symbol for the share class offered in your retirement plan.