Matching employee contributions is not a new concept on its own — 401(k) has been doing just that since 1978 as part of the Revenue Act. However, it is not common for stock brokers, such as Robinhood or Acorns, to provide IRA match accounts. The few that do typically offer a 1% to 3% incentive to transfer your IRA accounts or leftover 401(k).
While the idea of free money is quite appealing, watch out for the IRS-defined contribution limits and the clawback period, which, at some brokerage firms, can go up to four years.
Top 3 IRA Match Account Brokers for Matching Funds
Here are the top IRA match accounts, considering important features like the match percentage, the contribution amount required to benefit and the clawback period — or rather the amount of time the money you invested has to stay dormant.
Robinhood is a commission-free brokerage firm that provides trading in stocks, options, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and cryptocurrencies through a user-friendly mobile app. It offers both a free IRA match account and a paid one. Both Robinhood IRA match accounts offer match percentages that can increase your retirement fund annually by 1% or 3%.
By paying $50 annually, or $5 monthly, for the subscription to Robinhood Gold, you can capitalize on the 3% Robinhood IRA match. The clawback period for both free and paid users is five years. Lastly, their ongoing promotion seems quite lucrative: transfer your IRA account funds or old 401(k) by April 30 and receive an unlimited 3% IRA match.
SoFi is an online financial services company that offers investing, banking and lending products, including commission-free stock and ETF trading. The SoFi IRA match account offers a 1% match on rollovers and contributions, and the necessary idle time is two years.
There are no contribution limits on rollover from your 401(k), as rollovers are not considered new contributions by the IRS. However, the minimum rollover to get the 401(k) 1% match bonus from SoFi is $20,000. You'll need to use a special link on SoFi's site to get the deal.
Minimum deposit
$0
Retirement account types
Roth, Traditional, SEP, Rollover
Annual fee
$0 per month
IRA match
1%
Minimum deposit
$0
Retirement account types
Roth, Traditional, SEP, Rollover
Annual fee
$0 per month
IRA match
1%
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
Other fees, such as exchange fees, may apply. Please view our fee disclosure to view a full listing of fees.
Investing in alternative investments and/or strategies may not be suitable for all investors and involves unique risks, including the risk of loss. An investor should consider their individual circumstances and any investment information, such as a prospectus, prior to investing. Interval Funds are illiquid instruments, the ability to trade on your timeline may be restricted. Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA(www.finra.org) /SIPC(www.sipc.org).
There are limitations with fractional shares to consider before investing. During market hours fractional share orders are transmitted immediately in the order received. There may be system delays from receipt of your order until execution and market conditions may adversely impact execution prices. Outside of market hours orders are received on a not held basis and will be aggregated for each security then executed in the morning trade window of the next business day at market open. Share will be delivered at an average price received for executing the securities through a single batched order. Fractional shares may not be transferred to another firm. Fractional shares will be sold when a transfer or closure request is initiated. Please consider that selling securities is a taxable event.
Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire investment Before trading options please review the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options
Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser.
Utilizing a margin loan is generally considered more appropriate for experienced investors as there are additional costs and risks associated. It is possible to lose more than your initial investment when using margin. Please see https://www.sofi.com/wealth/assets/documents/brokerage-margin-disclosure-statement.pdf for detailed disclosure information
Up to $2,000 in stock. Offer ends 4/1/25. Customer must fund their Active invest account with at least $50 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $2,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions at https://www.sofi.com/greenintwoterms/.
SoFi Plus members can schedule an unlimited number of appointments with a financial planner during periods in which the SoFi Plus member meets the eligibility criteria set forth in section 10(a) of the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions. SoFi members who are not members of SoFi Plus can schedule one (1) appointment with a financial planner. The ability to schedule appointments is subject to financial planner availability. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this benefit at any time with or without notice. Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Information about SoFi Wealth’s advisory operations, services, and fees is set forth in SoFi Wealth’s current Form ADV Part 2 (Brochure), a copy of which is available upon request and at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
Terms and conditions apply. Roll over a minimum of $20K to receive the 1% match offer. Matches on contributions are made up to the annual limits.
unlimited 1% match on recurring deposits to a SoFi InvestⓇ account, paid in rewards points. Must be a SoFi Plus member at the time a recurring deposit is received into your SoFi Active or Automated investing account to qualify. Bonus calculated on net monthly recurring deposits made via ACH and paid out as Rewards Points. See Rewards Terms of Service. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this promotion at any time without notice. See terms and limitations. https://www.sofi.com/sofiplus/invest/#disclaimers
1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio to SoFi Active Invest. For full promotion terms please visit: SoFi.com/ACATterms. You must transfer at least $20,000 before April 17, 2025 and keep the investments in your SoFi Active Invest account through December 31, 2025 to be eligible for the incentive, which will be paid by January 31, 2026. SoFi does not accept cryptocurrencies and has some limitations on mutual funds and OTC stock.
Robo Advisor: Automated investing is offered through SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. 0.25% fee is based on your account value. The wrap program fee may cost more or less than purchasing brokerage, custodial, and recordkeeping services separately.
Acorns provides an IRA match account through its Acorns Later Match program, offering eligible users bonus contributions to their retirement accounts. Similarly to an employer contributing to a 401(k), Acorns Later Match invests money into your Acorns IRA match account up to a contribution limit.
Working on a subscription-based plan, there are two options. Acorns Silver offers 1% matching funds for $6 per month, and Acorns Gold provides 3% matching funds for $12 per month. The clawback period is two years for both subscriptions.
IRA matching is very similar to how a 401(k) works. Instead of employers matching contributions, brokerage firms do.
The similarities don’t end there. Like 401(k)s, the IRS imposes contribution limits on your individual deposits. Rollovers from your 401(k) aren’t subject to these limits.
Some brokers, like SoFi, impose certain requirements for matching, such as rolling over more than $20,000.
What is the maximum I can contribute and earn?
What’s most appealing about an IRA match account is the seemingly free money. However, due to contribution limits, which are $7,000 for people under the age of 50 and $8,000 for people over 50, the payout is not that competitive.
If the match percentage is 1%, the most an investor can earn is $70, or $80 if the person is over 50 years of age. And if the match funds percentage is 3%, the amount you can earn jumps up to $210 or $240, respectively.(1)
Pros and cons of choosing a broker with IRA matching
Pros
Retirement savings boost. IRA matching adds move savings to your retirement funds, which compound over time.
Encourages consistent investing. An IRA match can make contributions more rewarding and encourage you to invest consistently to earn that free bonus.
Upwards market fluctuations. Neither brokers nor the IRS are concerned with the value of funds in your account. Any growth is considered interest and doesn’t count toward your contribution limit.
Cons
Overlooking other features. Picking a broker purely based on one feature while overlooking others might not provide you with everything you need.
Long idle period. Depending on the broker, the period in which you must keep the money in the accounts to maintain your bonus earnings can range from one to five years.
Bottom line
IRA match accounts are a great way to enhance your retirement savings through additional contributions from brokers. By evaluating various options like Robinhood, SoFi and Acorns, you can maximize your retirement funds while considering other factors such as clawback periods, contribution limits and fees.
If IRA matching isn’t your main concern, consider other top brokers that offer a variety of features to fit your financial goals and investment preferences.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 1% match good?
A 1% match is better than nothing, but it’s not so influential on its own. If you roll over $10,000 from your 401(k), the broker will contribute 1% or $100. There are better options than 1% IRA match accounts, as some brokers offer up to a 3% funds match.
When choosing your IRA match broker, it is important to consider other factors, including the clawback period, fees and contribution limits.
What is the best IRA broker for fund matching?
The best IRA broker for fund matching may be Robinhood until April 30. Until then, there’s no contribution limit on the rollover from your 401(k) into Robinhood IRA match accounts. After that date, the five-year clawback period becomes less competitive compared to other IRA match accounts.
If your investment strategy requires a milder but consistent option, the SoFi IRA match account might be right for you. However, the best IRA broker is the one that suits your needs, budget and investment strategy.
Is there a match for a Roth IRA?
Roth IRAs do not come with employer-matching contributions because they are individual retirement accounts rather than workplace-sponsored plans. Unlike 401(k) accounts, which often include employer matching as a benefit, Roth IRAs are funded entirely by the account holder with after-tax dollars.
However, some brokerage firms, like Robinhood, offer promotional incentives or rewards that function similarly to a Roth IRA match account, providing additional contributions based on deposits or transfers. While these offers can enhance retirement savings, they are not the same as traditional employer matching and vary by provider.
For example, the IRS notes that employer matching contributions are typically made to employer-sponsored retirement plans like 401(k)s, not to individual accounts like Roth IRAs.(2)
Shane's career started with the US Department of Defense where he performed research for 8 years. He then studied philosophy and became fascinated by the ways in which technology and finance can consolidate to impact the world's socio-economic order. To date, he has written hundreds of articles with various insights into digital assets, trading, investing, and the ways in which technology can be used to further optimize the stock trading and settlement processes. His work has been featured in Yahoo Finance, Nasdaq, Bitcoin Magazine, Investing.com, Tokenist, and others. See full bio
Pros and cons to consider before you sign up for a Goldco precious metals IRA.
Advertiser disclosure
Finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Finder receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. Finder compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
How likely would you be to recommend Finder to a friend or colleague?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Very UnlikelyExtremely Likely
Required
Thank you for your feedback.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
