Beagle review 2024

Beagle is best for individuals who want a comprehensive search service for old 401(k)s

While free retirement account search services are available through government programs, 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’s a 401(k) search service that’s ideal for anyone who wants to locate all their old 401(k)s in minutes through an easy-to-use platform. Beagle also makes it easy to consolidate your old 401(k)s under one roof and offers an automated portfolio of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) so you can locate, consolidate and continue to invest with ease.

Account types available with Beagle

• Self-directed brokerage account
• Individual retirement accounts (IRAs)
• 401(k)s

Where Beagle shines

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. Whereas existing 401(k) search services may provide spotty results because these government databases rely on employers and plan custodians to upload information, Beagle positions itself as a comprehensive 401(k) search service.

For those who choose to consolidate their old 401(k)s, Beagle can then manage the rollover process. It offers portfolios of exchange-traded funds managed by investment advisers, and there is no minimum account size. Similar to other robo-advisors, it will automatically rebalance your portfolio and reinvest dividends. You can also borrow from your individual retirement account (IRA) or 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. It provides all this on a streamlined and easy-to-navigate platform.

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 also does not offer a free trial for new users to see if it’s a compatible fit. Beagle’s investment account option also heavily focuses on ETFs, which may be a con for users who prefer a diverse portfolio of several asset types.

Beagle’s fees

Beagle’s plans

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

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

How safe is Beagle?

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.