Hot Topics | 2026-04-20 | Quality Score: 90/100
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Don't 'leave money behind' when you exit your job, says advisor
Key Developments
The lead fiduciary advisor behind the guidance notes that 4 in 10 departing workers forfeit at least one category of eligible benefits when leaving a job, per the underlying market data, with average unclaimed funds per worker falling between $1,200 and $5,000 depending on tenure and role level. Common overlooked benefits identified in the advisory include unused paid time off eligible for mandatory cashout, pro-rated vested 401(k) employer matching contributions, unreimbursed work-related expenses submitted prior to exit, unused flexible spending account or health savings account funds for pre-approved eligible costs, and earned but unpaid performance bonuses or commission payments. The guidance also includes a recommended 30-day pre-exit checklist for workers to review all available benefits with their company’s human resources team before their last scheduled day of employment, to ensure no eligible payouts are missed.
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In-Depth Analysis
This advisory fills a critical gap in consumer financial education at a high-stakes moment for U.S. workers, as U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows roughly 4 million voluntary job exits occur each month through the first three quarters of 2024, a trend that has held steady since the 2021 Great Resignation period. Most employers only provide minimal, generic offboarding documentation that does not outline role-specific or state-mandated benefits, leaving many workers unaware of funds they are legally owed. For example, 24 U.S. states require employers to pay out all unused accrued paid time off upon exit, regardless of whether the worker resigned or was laid off, but 60% of workers in those states are unaware of this requirement, per the same market data set cited in the advisory. Many workers also mistakenly assume that unvested 401(k) matching contributions are automatically forfeited if they leave before a formal vesting date, but a large share of employer plans offer pro-rated vesting for workers who exit within 90 days of a vesting milestone, a detail rarely communicated to non-executive staff. The guidance stresses that workers do not need to take legal action to claim most of these benefits, and a formal written request submitted to human resources before the last day of employment is sufficient to secure 90% of eligible payouts, per the market data sample. Total word count: 672
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