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Empower retirement accounts have stopped batch downloading (edited)

Duke0486

Hello,

I'm aware of the ongoing difficulties connecting and maintaining an Empower retirement account with Simplifi. The limit, inconvenient update window of 1am PT - 5am PT makes it really tough.

However, for a while, Simplifi's batch downloading within those hours was updating my wife's Empower retirement account on a daily basis. Then, on 10/28/2024, Simplifi's batch downloading stopped updating my wife's Empower retirement account.

Any idea why Simplifi's batch downloading stopped updating the Empower account? Is it due to multi-factor authentication that Simplifi can't navigate during batch downloading? How do I solve this issue?

Thanks!
Scott

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Coach Jon

Hello @Duke0486,

Thanks for reaching out! Since Empower blocks transaction downloads during the hours of 5:01 AM to 11:59 PM PST every day, Batch downloading or any interactive refresh attempts between 12:00 AM and 5:00 AM PDT should return transactions. If this is not the case for you, I would suggest trying to reset the account connection to see if this resolves the issue. Let us know how that goes! https://support.simplifi.quicken.com/en/articles/4857199-when-and-how-to-reset-your-account-connections

-Coach Jon

Duke0486

Thanks @Coach Jon!

I assume I should attempt resetting the Empower account connection between 12:00 AM and 5:00 AM PT?

Coach Jon

Hello @Duke0486,

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I would suggest doing so at that time!

-Coach Jon

Duke0486

Hi @Coach Jon ,

Screenshot 2025-02-16 at 08-06-29 Simplifi - Investments.png

As suggested, I logged into Simplifi between 12:00 AM and 5:00 AM PT to reset the the Empower account connection. However, I didn't need to reset the connection because the Empower retirement account updated correctly when I logged in. I wasn't prompted to complete multi-factor authenication for Empower either, the account just updated normally for the first and only time in months.

If you look at the attached screenshot, you'll see Simplifi's chart of my wife's Empower retirement account balance over time. Please notice the flat account balance starting on 10/28/2024 until today (2/16/2025). This confirms that Simplifi's batch downloading stopped working in late October 2024 and still isn't working. The only reason the account balance updated today was because I logged into Simplifi during Empower's allowed hours, which automatically prompted a refresh.

Please have Simplifi's engineers investigate and fix the batch downloading for Empower accounts that occurs between 12:00 AM and 5:00 AM PT so that it resumes updating the accounts. The window of 12:00 AM and 5:00 AM PT is inconvenient for the majority of Simplifi users and it would be impossible to log in daily for ongoing updates (at least for me), so please get the batch downloading working again.

Thanks!
Scott

Coach Natalie

@Duke0486, thanks for the reply!

I'm glad to hear that you were able to get logged in and updated during those hours. Unfortunately, after months and months of working on the issues with Empower, the behavior was determined to be on their end and is due to them limiting connectivity. I definitely understand that the connectivity hours are difficult to manage, but if the account stops updating again, resetting the connection during those hours would be the next best thing to try. It sounds like you may have to do so every so often to keep the accounts updated.

Here is the original discussion on this topic:

https://community.simplifimoney.com/discussion/10116/empower-401k

Sorry for not having a better answer for you! I wish there was more we could do on our end for this connection.

Duke0486

https://community.simplifimoney.com/discussion/comment/48470#Comment_48470

Hi @Coach Natalie , thank you for the additional information! I understand that the issue is on the Empower side, but here's what I don't understand:

I logged into Simplifi between 12:00 AM and 5:00 AM PT, and my wife's Empower retirement account automatically updated correctly without issue. This proves that Simplifi can connect to Empower (within the specified hours) and receive account updates. So if Simplifi can connect to Empower and receive account updates, why is Simplifi's batch downloading failing for Empower?

Thanks!
Scott

Duke0486

Another thought, @Coach Natalie , I've heard that other aggregators are able to connect to Empower. What's preventing Simplifi/Intuit from doing the same? I understand the time restraints are an issue, but I'm wondering why we can't copy what other aggregators are doing?

Thanks!
Scott

Coach Natalie

@Duke0486, thanks for the reply!

Unfortunately, we don't have that type of information here in the Community. We can only offer troubleshooting steps as a means to resolve connection issues.

Sorry for not having more information!

Duke0486

Thanks @Coach Natalie for setting me straight on the Community's role with Simplifi! I thought Simplifi coaches have the ability to communicate with Simplifi's engineers and programmers, so I posted my questions here.

Any idea who I should contact at Simplifi to ask my question above regarding batch downloading for Empower? How would I contact them?

Thanks again,
Scott

Coach Natalie

@Duke0486, I apologize for the confusion. The Quicken Simplifi Community is one of our official support channels. The specific questions we are unable to answer from a care team (or the care agents who work in the Community) standpoint are:

So if Simplifi can connect to Empower and receive account updates, why is Simplifi's batch downloading failing for Empower?
I've heard that other aggregators are able to connect to Empower. What's preventing Simplifi/Intuit from doing the same?

What the care team can do is troubleshoot the issue. Since the general connectivity limitations lie on Empower's side, and you were able to resolve it by logging in during the available hours, we would not escalate the issue any further. The issue was already escalated and researched for months, and there is nothing further that can be done from our end for Empower through an escalation.

You are welcome to contact Chat Support, but you will receive the same answer, as this is how Empower works. If there is a connection issue with Empower, we would ask that you keep trying, or try during the available hours. Connectivity with Empower is outlined in our support article here: https://support.simplifi.quicken.com/en/articles/3359549-top-bank-download-solutions#h_078cbe4cc3

We understand that this may be frustrating. Please let us know if you are ever unable to resolve things through a reset during the available hours. Otherwise, I hope this helps clear things up!

Duke0486

https://community.simplifimoney.com/discussion/comment/48496#Comment_48496

Got it @Coach Natalie, thanks for the clarifications!