Money Fix: Tracking down a long-forgotten pension

We all can relate to the notion of losing track of a wallet, credit card or $20 bill. But losing track of a pension? Well, actually, that may be more a case of forgetting about even having one at a job or jobs from years ago, before the days of 401(k)s.

Now, as retirement comes into focus for more baby boomers, they're gathering up as many income sources as they can.

If you need to track down a long-forgotten pension, you're not alone.

"It happens a lot," says Julie Stich, senior information and research specialist at the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, an education and research organization in Brookfield, Wis.

So how can a long-forgotten pension be hunted down? Here are some steps to follow.

Where: Start with the human resources department of your former employer. Ask for a "summary plan description" which outlines the plan, who's eligible etc. And, assuming the plan is covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), your old workplace is required to get you one. You may be referred to the plan administrator.

Get help: If you get the runaround, contact the U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration at dol.gov/ebsa. The agency helps workers know their rights and claim benefits owed to them.

Really dig: Of course, you may have to dig if the company has merged, changed names, relocated. Seek out former workers. And check out the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. "Finding a Lost Pension" booklet at pbgc.gov.

Learn more: Download the benefits security administration's booklet "What You Should Know About Your Retirement Plan."