The article serves as a guide for employees to register for their Emergency Savings Account (ESA) through Vestwell. 

Note: For the best registration experience, we recommend using Google Chrome on a laptop or desktop. Please note that we only support the current and previous major versions of browsers. You may use older versions of browsers to access the platform, but the experience may be affected.

Depending on your employer, you may see different features for your ESA. If your employer offers an ESA with deductions from your paycheck, click here. If you save into your ESA via bank account deposit, click here.

ESA via Bank Account Deposit

1. To begin the registration process, log in to your saver portal.
2. At the top of the “Retirement Overview” page, you will see an Emergency Savings banner. Select the Learn More button to continue.

3. From there, the “Emergency Savings Account (ESA)” window will open. To proceed with registration, select Register Now.

• Note: If you do not wish to register for your ESA yet, you can also select Set Up Later.

If you dismissed the Emergency Savings banner by selecting Set Up Later but would now like to register for your ESA, you can do so at any time.

1. To begin the registration process, log in to your saver portal.
2. On the right-hand side of your “Retirement Overview” page, you will see a carousel of images. Toggle until you reach Emergency Savings, then select Register Now.
3. From there, the “Emergency Savings Terms and Conditions” window will open. To proceed, review each disclosure, check the box, and then click Agree and Continue.
   
   
4. Review the Platform Terms of Use, then click Agree and Continue. For security measures, we will take a moment to verify your identity.
5. Next, select Set Up My Account. You will be prompted to choose an emergency savings goal or set a custom goal. Then, select Save & Continue.
6. You will be prompted to choose an amount to deposit and connect a bank account. You can connect your bank account through Plaid by logging in with your online banking credentials or by using your account and routing numbers via Plaid’s micro-deposit verification. Then, select Continue.
7. Congratulations! You’ve successfully set up your ESA. By selecting Continue to Dashboard, you will be directed to your “Emergency Savings” dashboard, where you can track your progress and view account activity.

ESA With Deductions from Your Paycheck

1. To begin the registration process:

• Click on this link: https://connect.vestwell.com/register?recordKeeperId=6, or
• Click on the link in the welcome invitation sent to your email address with the subject line "Register for your Emergency Savings Account.” 

2. In the “Saver Registration” window, please enter your social security number, date of birth, and last name. Then, select Begin Registration.

• If the information you enter does not match the details your employer has provided to initiate your account, you will receive an error message saying, “We do not recognize the information provided. If you think this is an error, please reach out to your employer to get this corrected.”
• If the information you enter has already been used to register for an ESA account, you will get an error message indicating, “The provided information has already been used to register. Login to access your account.” From here, you may select the Login button to sign into your account. 

3. Next, you will be asked for company verification. Choose your employer’s name from the list of options and then select Verify Company. If you do not see your employer’s name listed, please contact your employer.

4. You will then be asked to provide personal verification. Choose an address that you recognize from the list of options and then select Verify Address. If you do not see your current or past home address listed, please contact your employer.

• Note: If your company name or home address is incorrectly selected three times, your registration will lock after the third attempt, and you will need to reach out to help@vestwell.com to proceed. 

5. After verifying your identity, you'll be prompted to enter your contact information, including your name, personal email address, and phone number. Then, select Continue to Account Setup.

6a. To continue setting up your account, you will need to create your login credentials: email address and password.  

• Note: If you have already registered for a retirement plan with Vestwell, use the same email address and password for a single login experience to access both your ESA and retirement account in one place. If this is you, skip to step 6b.

The email field should be pre-populated with the personal email address you provided in the previous step. However, if you want to use a different login email address, you may select the Edit button. Next, enter a secure password that adheres to the rules listed on the screen. You will be asked to enter the password twice for confirmation. Once complete, select Create Account to continue.

6b. If you already have a retirement account with Vestwell, enter your login credentials to register your ESA with a single login experience. Then, select Connect Accounts. Your new ESA account and existing retirement account will be linked, allowing you to access both your retirement and emergency savings accounts from the same dashboard.

7. Next, you will be prompted to set up two-factor authentication for an additional layer of security. Follow the on-screen steps to enable two-factor authentication, then select Continue to your portal.

8. From there, the “Emergency Savings Terms and Conditions” window will open. To proceed, review each disclosure, check the box, and then click Agree and Continue.

9. Review the Platform Terms of Use, then click Agree and Continue. For security purposes, we will take a moment to verify your identity before directing you to the “Account Setup” page.