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.

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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.

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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!

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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 ↗️.

 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 financial institutions. 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 ↗️ (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 ↗️ from your spending account to the investment account. Categorize it with the category you created in step one. Create a repeating Scheduled Transaction ↗️ to save yourself time in the future!
   
   
5. Update the account balance by clicking the Reconcile button ↗️ as it changes, or as frequently as you’d like.

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