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Does my 401(k) have a self-directed brokerage account?
Only about 1 in 8 401(k)s in Utah and Texas offer one. Some 401(k) documents call it a "brokerage window." It may also be called a brokerage option, PCRA or BrokerageLink. Here are three ways to check.
Last reviewed: November 2026
1. Look on your 401(k) website
Look under investment options for "self-directed brokerage." Also look for "brokerage," "PCRA," "Personal Choice Retirement Account," "BrokerageLink" or "SDBA."
Some list it as a tier. American Airlines calls it "Tier 4: Self-Directed Brokerage Account." Duke University lists it as Tier 3.
Some tuck it into a menu. Adobe employees register under "Manage my money," then "Manage my brokerage option."
2. Call the number on your statement
Ask one question: "Does my 401(k) have a self-directed brokerage account?" The service center can tell you, and tell you what it's called.
If your 401(k) uses the Schwab PCRA, Schwab's PCRA call center is 1-888-393-7272.
3. Ask HR one question
Ask: "Does our 401(k) have a self-directed brokerage account?"
HR can confirm it exists. Your employer can't give investment advice, so nobody at work can walk you through it. That's what we're here for.
Or search the public filings
We built a search of public Department of Labor filings. Type your employer's name to see if its 401(k) reports a self-directed brokerage account.
How SDBA Unlock reads Form 5500 filings
Private employers' 401(k)s file a yearly report with the U.S. Department of Labor, called Form 5500. Anyone can read them through the Labor Department's EFAST2 system.
The form has a code a 401(k) uses to say it offers a self-directed brokerage account. The code is 2R. We read those filings so you don't have to.
A code alone is not proof. We confirm with the 401(k)'s audited financial statements, or its own published materials, before we name an employer.
The audit lists what the 401(k) held at year-end, line by line. When a self-directed brokerage account is there, it shows up as its own line.
Visible Changes' 2024 audit, for example, lists "PCRA Self-Directed Brokerage Account" at $6,151,327. See that filing.
We divide that line by the 401(k)'s net assets. For Visible Changes, that is about 8 cents of every dollar in the 401(k).
What a filing can and cannot tell you
- A filing shows money, not people. It cannot tell you how many coworkers use it.
- An audit shows what the account held on December 31. It does not show your 401(k)'s rules, such as minimums or what you can buy.
- Filings run behind. 401(k)s merge, change providers and change rules, so confirm with your 401(k).
- Government plans, like Utah's state 401(k) or Texa$aver, file no Form 5500. For those, we read their own published materials.
Found one? Here is what a self-directed brokerage account is, and here is how to turn it on.
Questions people ask
Is it still my 401(k)?
Yes. A self-directed brokerage account is part of your 401(k), not a separate account. It follows your 401(k)'s rules and keeps the same tax treatment.
Any additional fees?
Checking is free. If your 401(k) has one, it may charge a small fee to use it. Utah's state 401(k) charges $12 a quarter. Trades and some funds can cost extra.
Can I have ALL my money in the brokerage link?
Usually not. Many 401(k)s require some money to stay in the regular funds, and some cap how much you can move. Your 401(k)'s rules decide.
Does money go in automatically or do I do it manually?
In many 401(k)s you move money yourself, from your regular funds, on your 401(k) website. Nothing moves until you turn it on and make a transfer.
Is it worth it?
That's a question for an advisor, and if you'd like one, we'll help you find one. Knowing whether your 401(k) has one is the first step. Most people stick with the funds their company picked, and that's fine.
Keep reading
Education only, not investment advice. Your 401(k)'s own documents govern. If anything here differs from your 401(k)'s rules, your 401(k) is right.