Depositing money into an account
There are several ways to deposit money to a Fidelity account: You can
- Set up payroll direct to an eligible Fidelity accountLog In Required
- Send money to or from a bank account with an electronic funds transfer (EFT).
- Wire money from a bank or third party account.*
- Deposit a check via mobile upload or mail a paper check.
- Transfer money from one Fidelity account to another.
- Transfer money via a third-party payment app like Venmo® or PayPal®.
Ready to get started?
Before you deposit money via EFT or bank wire, you need to link a bank accountLog In Required. Whether you're doing a one-time deposit, scheduling automatic or recurring deposits for frequent investing, or transferring an entire account of investments to Fidelity, the following options can help you accomplish your tasks.
Retirement and college savings contributions
Money you add to 529 college savings plans and retirement accounts, including IRAs, 401(k)s, or 403(b)s, is often called a contribution.
Contributing to an IRA
When you make a contribution to your IRA, the money goes into your core account. The core account is where your money is held until you or your advisor, if you have one, choose investments to purchase with the money. Sometimes it takes a few days for the money you transferred to be available in your account, but you don't have to wait until the funds are available to choose your investments.
Contributing to a 529 college savings planLog In Required
Contributions to your 529 plan are invested based on your existing instructions; you will have established these when you opened the account. You'll receive a confirmation from Fidelity when we've invested your 529 contribution.
Contributing to a 401(k) or 403(b)Log In Required
Log in to NetBenefits® to review your balances and contributions for your plans managed by Fidelity. You'll use the same username and password you use for your other Fidelity accounts. If you want to make changes to your contribution schedule or amounts, you may need to contact your employer or plan administrator since employers set up 401(k) or 403(b) plans.
Direct and automatic deposits
You can set up two types of deposits for your Fidelity accounts: direct deposit of a paycheck or government check to a Fidelity account, or automatic deposits from a bank account or Fidelity Cash management account to specific investments. You can set up both types of deposits, or just chose the option that best suits your needs.
Direct depositLog In Required
You can have your paycheck, Social Security, or other pension benefits deposited directly into a Fidelity account. You'll need to provide the Fidelity account's routing (ABA) number and account number to your employer, government agency, or third party. Your routing numbers can be found on the Direct Deposit and Direct Debit Information pageLog In Required. You can also find them on your Portfolio Summary page: Select an account, and at the top of the page under account name, select Routing Number. It may take a couple of pay periods before your direct deposit is active. Your employer should send a confirmation when the setup is complete.
Automatic depositsLog In Required
You can schedule regular transfers from your bank, cash management account, or investment accounts to make recurring contributions to your 529 college savings plan and IRA. If you've previously provided your bank information to Fidelity, you can generally start using this feature within 2–4 business days. It may take longer if you need to add and verify new banking information.
Transferring an account or investments to Fidelity
Whether you have a retirement account from a former employer or a brokerage account at another financial institution, we can help you easily transfer your accounts to Fidelity.
Transferring a retirement account to Fidelity from a former employer is called a rollover. To roll over your 401(k), you'll transfer your money to a Fidelity IRA. You may need to open an IRA if you don't already have one to roll over your account balance.
The process varies depending on the rules assigned to your account, since your former employer or plan administrator is responsible for initiating the rollover once you request it. It typically takes 7–10 minutes to complete the online form.
When you transfer an IRA, a brokerage account, or a health savings account (HSA) to Fidelity, it's called a transfer of assets. You can choose to transfer just some of your account, or all of it.
Once you've started an account transfer, you can track the progress using the Status trackerLog In Required.
