If you think a former employer may be holding a pension or 401(k) for you, contact the HR department. Sometimes workers can't find an old employer that was acquired, went bankrupt or just shut down. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., which insures private pensions, is holding about $280 million in unclaimed pensions owed to 37,587 people. Search online for unclaimed pensions. Advisers at the federal Employee Benefits Security Administration also can track down lost accounts.