Searching for lost Super

If you've ever changed your name, address or job, you may have lost some of your super.

If you think you've lost some or all your superannuation (super), you may be listed on Australian Tax Office (ATO) lost members register or in other records that ATO maintain, including unclaimed super register and the super holding accounts (SHA) special account.

To find out if you have lost or unclaimed super, you can use ATO search tool, SuperSeeker or use websites such as lost-super.net.au which can help you to find your lost super for free and fill out all the required forms to transfer or consolidate your super accounts.

Who can have lost Super?

Your super fund will report you as a lost member to ATO if:

• they have not been able to contact you
• they have not received any contributions or rollover amounts for you in the last five years, or
• your account was transferred from another fund as a lost member account and no new address has been found.

The ATO maintains a register of reported lost members but the super fund still holds your monies.

Who can have unclaimed Super?

Super funds are required to report and pay unclaimed super money to ATO twice a year. The following are the unclaimed monies that tax office may hold on your behalf:

• unclaimed super money:
• for a member 65 years old or older
• a non-member spouse
• for a deceased member.
• unclaimed super money of former temporary residents
• certain accounts belonging to lost members:
• lost accounts with balances of less than $200 (small lost member accounts),
• lost accounts which have been inactive for a period of five years and have insufficient records to ever identify the owner of the account (insoluble lost member accounts). 

Searching for a lost Superannuation is a serious matter and you should take extreme care with that.