# Tracking Investment Accounts > Since investment funds aren't included in your categories, you don't have to add the accounts in YNAB. We have two options for tracking investments and assets! Source: https://support.ynab.com/en_us/tracking-investment-accounts-a-guide-r1Bzjxd05 Last updated: 2026-08-06T21:09:38.795Z Decide how you'd like to track investment accounts in YNAB. Choose whether to use a category or a tracking account, depending on the amount of data you'd like in YNAB, and learn the steps for each option.  Investment funds aren't included in your categories, so it's not necessary to add the accounts in YNAB. But, if you'd like more granularity while tracking your net worth, we have two suggested methods for you. #### In This Article [Which Option is Best for Me?](#choice) [Method One: How to Keep it Simple](#keep-simple) [Method Two: More Data, More Effort](#more) [Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)](#faq) * * * ## Which Option is Best for Me? The key here is whether or not you **add the account** in YNAB.  * **Don't add the account to YNAB.**This is Method One, and the **simplest** option. You'll just use a category for tracking the contributions. * **Add the account in YNAB**. This is Method Two. You'll add the account as a tracking asset type, and follow steps to keep it updated along the way. This option requires more effort and maintenance but gives you more data. [Back to Top](#backtotop) * * * ## Method One: How to Keep it Simple To grow your investments, all you need to do is make sure you're planning for your contributions. Follow these steps: 1. Create a category to plan for your investment contributions. 2. Plan for your contribution each month by assigning money to the category you created in step one. 3. Record the outflow in your spending account register when it happens. That's it! [Back to Top](#backtotop) * * * ## Method Two: More Data, More Effort Sometimes, you want to track it all. More power to you! This method requires more effort, but you do get the satisfaction of watching your investment account balances change as you reflect on your [Net Worth](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/net-worth-BkwQO5WA5). #### Reflect on Your Investments While tracking accounts can be included in Net Worth, they are **not** included in Spending or Income v Expense. That's because income and expenses in tracking accounts don't impact your Plan, which is why we typically recommend Method One here. But if you're committed to the data, read on! ### How to Manage an Investment Tracking Account in YNAB Investment, retirement, and tax-advantaged accounts like HSAs and FSAs won't automatically import transactions due to the way the data is formatted from bank connections. We recommend that you set these up as unlinked accounts. 1. Create a category to Plan for your investment contribution. 2. Add your 401k, IRA, or other investment account in YNAB as an [unlinked account](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/how-to-add-an-account-ByoxswMJs) (selecting _Asset_ as the account type), with the current value of the account as the starting balance. 3. Plan for your contribution each month by assigning money to that category. 4. When it's time to invest, [add a transfer transaction](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/transfer-transactions-a-guide-HJOsZz4Jj) from your spending account to the investment account. Categorize it with the category you created in step one. Create a repeating [Scheduled Transaction](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/scheduled-transactions-a-guide-BygrAIFA9) to save yourself time in the future! 5. Update the account balance by [clicking the _Reconcile_ button](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/reconciling-accounts-a-guide-BJFE3fHys#process) as it changes, or as frequently as you’d like. To record interest, dividends, or investment gains, simply reconcile the tracking account to its new balance. These amounts are informational only — they don't affect your plan categories. [Back to Top ](#backtotop) * * * ## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) ### What about T-bills or other short-term investments that mature and return to my checking account? Use Method One: create a category for the investment, record the outflow when you purchase it, and record the inflow once it matures. [Back to Top](#backtotop) * * * ## Help Us Help You! Our Knowledge Base team reviews article feedback responses weekly, and we actively revise these articles to make them as helpful as possible. That's where you come in! Our articles are scored based on the _Yes_ or _No_ ratings received below. We also collect freeform feedback for any _No_ ratings (so our team can focus in on what you were specifically searching for!). **Success**: Found what you were searching for? 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