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Understand your money

Your 401(k) counts too, even when it can't connect.

Tell the assistant the balance of a 401(k) or pension Walnut can't link, and it counts toward your goal.

Add an outside accountConnect a broker
  • Add it in one sentence
  • Counts toward your goal
  • Labelled as yours

Everything you own

Brokers + outside

PublicConnected, synced today
$42,000Connected
RobinhoodConnected, synced today
$18,000Connected
Work 401(k)You told us this 12 days ago
$186,000Self-reported
Old pensionYou told us this about 5 months ago
$40,000Self-reported
Counts toward your goalRetirement now includes the 401(k).
Sample, for illustration

How it works

Three steps, all in the assistant

  1. Tell the assistant

    Say something like "my work 401(k) is $186,000".

  2. It's saved as yours

    A new balance under the same name replaces the old one.

  3. It counts toward your goal

    It's added to what your brokers report, on its own card.

Kept honest

Four rules for a number nobody verifies.

Useful for planning, never shown as broker-confirmed.

  • Always labelled yours

    Every figure says you told us, and when.

  • Old balances show it

    The date turns amber after 120 days without an update.

  • Never blended in

    The Portfolio total shows broker money only.

  • No calls on what's inside

    Walnut stores a balance only, so it gives no keep, trim or exit read.

Works well with

All features
The outside accounts guideBy the Walnut team · Updated October 2026 · 4 min read

Counting the money Walnut can't see, answered plainly.

What counts as an outside account?

Short answer

Any account Walnut can't connect, such as a workplace 401(k), a deferred compensation plan or a pension. You give the balance and Walnut counts it.

Many workplace plans sit with a plan administrator, not a broker, so they can't connect.

Read the full guide: Types of investment accounts

How do I add a 401(k) to Walnut?

Short answer

Tell the assistant the account's name and balance. You can add who runs it, the date and a note.

A new balance under the same name replaces the old one, so it never doubles your total.

1

Account per name; new balances replace it

120 days

Before a balance is shown as old

7%

Yearly return assumed in goal projections

Read the full guide: How to track a 401(k) you can't connect

Does it count toward my retirement goal?

Short answer

Yes. Walnut adds outside balances to your broker total and projects it to your date at an assumed 7% a year.

It works with no broker connected.

Read the full guide: How much do I need to retire?

Why won't Walnut analyze what's inside my 401(k)?

Short answer

Walnut stores only the balance, not the funds inside. The assistant uses it for totals and goal math.

If the account is at a brokerage Walnut can link, connect it to get a per-holding read.

Read the full guide: How to review your 401(k) with AI

Connected or outside: what's different?

Connected brokerOutside account
Where the number comes fromYour brokerYou
How it updatesSyncs on weekdaysWhen you tell the assistant
Counts toward your goalYesYes
In the Portfolio totalYesOwn card
Keep, trim or exit readPer holdingNot included

The date on an outside balance turns amber after 120 days.

Read the full guide: How to track a 401(k) you can't connect

Quick answers

Does Walnut check my 401(k) balance?
No. It records your figure and labels it as yours, with the date.
How do I update the balance?
Tell the assistant the new figure under the same name. It replaces the old one.
Do I need a broker connected first?
No. Goal progress can run on outside accounts alone.
Can I add more than one account?
Yes. Each name is its own account and counts once.
Does it cost anything?
No, it's free. Walnut Unlimited, $9.99 a month on the web, lifts the assistant's session limit.

Keep reading

How to review your 401(k) with AIFees, the fund menu and what to checkHow to roll over a 401(k)Moving an old plan to an IRA you controlCan AI manage my 401(k)?What it can and can't do in a workplace planHow to consolidate multiple 401(k)sBringing old plans into one place

Got a 401(k) Walnut can't see?

Tell the assistant its balance and it counts toward your goal.

Add an outside account

Walnut is an AI financial advisor app; it is not a registered investment adviser. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell a security. Examples on this page are samples, not real accounts.

Put all of your money in one picture.

Add a balance in one sentence.

Add an outside account