Why isn't my latest 401(k) contribution showing in my retirement account?
Last updated: October 6, 2026
Applies to: US W-2 employees who have a 401(k) deduction through Ascen payroll. Independent contractors, Canadian T4 employees and international workers do not have an Ascen 401(k), so this does not apply to them.
Summary: The 401(k) deduction on your pay stub is sent to the plan after your check date, so it does not appear in your retirement account straight away. It can take a week or two after the check date to be posted. If a contribution is still missing after that, email support@ascen.com with the check date and we will look into it.
Why there is a delay
Your pay stub shows the deduction on the day you are paid. The money then has to be sent to the plan and posted to your account, which happens after payday. Until that is done, the year-to-date 401(k) figure on your pay stub will be higher than the balance you see in your retirement account. That gap is expected for your most recent paychecks.
Count the time from the check date of the paycheck whose contribution looks missing, not from the date of your latest pay stub.
What to check first
Open the pay stub for that check date under Paychecks in your Ascen portal and confirm it shows a 401(k) deduction. If it does not, nothing was deducted for that paycheck, which is a different question (see below).
Note the check date and the amount deducted.
Allow a week or two from that check date before treating the contribution as missing.
If it is still missing
Email support@ascen.com with:
the check date or dates involved
the 401(k) amount shown on each of those pay stubs
what your retirement account shows for the same period
We will check that the deduction was taken and sent, and follow it up if it has not reached your account.
If there is no 401(k) deduction on the pay stub
You recently changed your contribution. Changes usually take effect from your next payroll cycle. See How to Update Your 401(k) Contribution.
Your deduction was more than your pay that week. See Why we asked you to confirm a paycheck: your 401(k) deduction is larger than your pay.
You received a notice that your plan or deductions ended. See I received a notice that my 401(k) plan or deductions ended: what does it mean?.
Questions about the account itself
Your balance, investment choices, loans, rollovers and withdrawals are handled by the retirement plan's administrator, not in your Ascen portal. Email support@ascen.com and we will point you to the right plan contact.