Find out if you have lost super and learn how to get it back.
What is super
Super is money for your retirement.
If you’re eligible, your employer pays some of your income into a super fund. The fund invests this money for you.
This money is still yours, even if you’ve moved, changed your name, stopped using an old phone or email address, or never set up a super account.
You can check where your super is and how much you have by:
ballot signing into your myGov account, linked to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)
ballot calling the ATO automated super search line on 13 28 65
ballot calling and speaking to someone at the ATO on 13 10 20
ballot if you're Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, calling the ATO’s dedicated Indigenous helpline on 13 10 30.
There’s almost $19 billion in lost and unclaimed super in Australia. Some people are surprised to find money they didn’t know they had.
You can usually access your super when you:
- turn 60 and retire from work, or
- turn 65, even if you’re still working.
You may be able to access some of it earlier in certain situations, such as serious illness or severe financial hardship.
Even if you don’t remember opening a super account, you might still have money in super. So, it’s worth checking.
How to Improve Your Super Balance
How to check if you have super
You can choose one of five ways to check if you have super, covering online, by phone, by mail or in person.
1. Online
Go to myGov and sign in.
If your account is linked to the ATO, you can see your super accounts and how much is in them.
If you see a super account listed, you have super.
2. Via the ATO app
If you have the ATO app, you can sign in anddo the same thing on that. Just select Super, then Fund details to view lost and active super accounts
3. By phone
If you know your tax file number, call the ATO’s automated super search line on 13 28 65. They can check if you have super.
If you don’t know your tax file number, you can speak to someone at the ATO on 13 10 20.
If you're Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, call the ATO’s Indigenous helpline on 13 10 30.
4. By mail
Download a form to search for lost and unclaimed super from the ATO’s website. Print, fill out and post to the address on the form.
5. In person
Services Australia has service centres, mobile service centres, agents, and self-service access points across Australia. They can help you contact the ATO, use the phone, and access a computer and printer.
Find your nearest Services Australia location.
You don’t need to pay anyone to help you find your super. You can do it for free through the Australian Taxation Office, or your current super fund.
What to do when you find super
The ATO will tell you if you have super and who’s holding it, either the ATO or a super fund.
If the ATO is holding it, they will explain how to claim it.
If a super fund is holding it, the ATO will give you the fund’s web address so you can get in touch with them.
Either way, you will need to prove who you are before you get the money.
What you need to prove it’s your super
To get access to your super, you’ll need to prove who you are. This helps protect your money from someone else claiming it.
You can use identification (ID) such as a driver’s licence, Medicare card or proof of age card.
If you don’t have ID, or your ID doesn’t match the details on your super, you may still be able to prove who you are.
Each super fund may have different ID requirements. Once you know where your super is, contact the fund to find out what types of ID they accept.
This could include letters from government agencies, membership cards, community ID, or a statement from a trusted person who knows you, such as a health worker, teacher, Elder or community leader.
Read more information about how to prove your identity.
If you find it difficult to deal with the super fund, call the ATO, visit Services Australia, or contact a financial counsellor.
Before you enter personal information or upload documents, double-check you’re on the super fund’s real website. Check the web address (URL) carefully, and look out for copycat sites. Read more on how to spot a scam website.
Keep track of your super
Once you’ve found your super, it’s worth taking a few steps to help keep track of it.
Make sure your super fund has your current contact details.
Other ways to help you keep track of your super include:
- Consider putting all your super into one account (but first check if you’ll lose insurance cover or other benefits) – find out more about consolidating super funds.
- Checking the super statement your fund sends you each year.
- Using your fund’s website or app.
Ray finds lost super
Ray, 47, worked in different casual jobs in his twenties. A community worker helped him check with the ATO for lost super. Ray found more than $10,000 spread across different accounts, including some from jobs he’d forgotten. The money stayed invested and had grown over 20 years. He used the ATO website to combine the money into one account and now keeps track of it online.