Tracking your super
To keep track of your super and protect your retirement investment, you need to know:
- how much super you're being paid
- how many super accounts you have
- about any insurance provided with your super.
Knowing how many super accounts you have is important. Having multiple super accounts could mean you are paying excessive fees.
Your super fund or funds will generally be able to give you up to date details of your super transactions and balances, via an online or paper statement. But if you’re not sure of what super fund accounts you have, you may be able to identify and manage them using ATO online services.
Super is generally held by your super fund but in some cases it may be 'lost' or transferred to the ATO as unclaimed super. This can happen in circumstances where a super fund doesn’t have access to your current contact information.
How ATO online services can help you manage your super
Super is your money for retirement and you should check it regularly. By using ATO online services, you can keep track of your super.
You can view details of your super accounts including:
- super accounts you may have lost track of and any ATO-held super
- the most recent 30 June balances reported by your super funds
- your total super balance, which is relevant to how some key superannuation rules apply to you
- apply to access some of your super early (in limited circumstances)
- downloading a Superannuation standard choice form to advise your employer of the super fund account into which you want your super contributions paid
- your employer's super contribution payments
- your concessional and non-concessional contributions totals, including unused contribution cap amounts
- personalised information from the YourSuper comparison tool, allowing you to view and compare your existing MySuper products alongside other MySuper products.
You can also take action such as:
- transfer super to consolidate multiple accounts into one account (we'll send a message to your super funds for you)
- transfer ATO-held super or request a direct payment (if eligible)
- release money from your super to pay for liabilities such as Division 293 and excess contributions tax
- apply for the first home super saver (FHSS) scheme and see information about your account and application.
Logging into ATO online services
Use ATO online services to view your Fund details and other Information, and Manage your super.
If you don't have a myGov account, create one and link it to the ATO.
You can also access ATO online services via the ATO app. Here you can check your super balance as well as find and consolidate any lost super.
Check if we hold 'lost' or unclaimed super for you
'Lost' super is money held by super funds where the member is either:
- uncontactable – you've changed your name, address or job, and your super fund loses contact with you, and your account hasn’t received a contribution or rollover for 12 months
- inactive – where a contribution or rollover has not been received in 5 years.
In some circumstances your super fund may be required to transfer your super money to the ATO. When this happens, it becomes 'unclaimed super' (ATO-held). We will hold onto it until it can be claimed, paid out or rolled over.
If you think you have lost super and can't see it on ATO online, we may not have all your details. If so, contact any previous super funds to see if they hold super for you. If they don't, ask if they have transferred any of your super to the ATO.
For more information see Searching for lost super.
As well as lost super, you may have unclaimed (ATO-held super) super, which is super that funds have transferred to us.
When super funds pay unclaimed super to us, we try to find out who it belongs to.
If we can't match super to an individual, it's held by us as 'unmatched' super until we receive more information.
If your super fund has transferred super to the ATO, ask them for the following information:
- your super fund’s name
- your member account number
- the unclaimed superannuation money (USM) amount transferred to the ATO
- the date your super fund paid the USM to the ATO
- any payment reference numbers.
Make sure you have this information before you contact us.
Additional information that may help us match you to super includes:
- current and previous addresses
- previous names
- any supporting documentation you have.
See ATO-held super for more information on claiming your lost or unclaimed super.
Your account balances and other details on ATO online
We show annual balances reported to us by your super fund. Because they are only required to report once a year with a 30 June balance, your current super account balances may not be shown.
Check the ’as at’ date of the balance – your fund may have issued a member statement with a more up to date balance.
If you are a member of a defined benefit super scheme, the way your account balance is calculated and reported to us may vary from scheme to scheme. See your member statement for details.
Some defined benefit schemes report zero balances – because the entitlement in a defined benefit fund doesn't usually rely on amounts held in an account but is instead a calculated amount with reference to employment factors.
Your super fund should be able to provide you with more information.
To view your accounts in ATO online services select Super then Fund details.
Two accounts in the same fund
If you see 2 accounts displayed for your super fund, you may have 2 separate accounts with the fund. We don't split your account information.
We display your super accounts as they are reported to us by your super fund. An account is uniquely identified by a combination of three account identifiers – the fund ABN, superannuation product USI and your member account number.
There may be two accounts for the same super fund displaying if you have two separate accounts in the fund or if your fund has reported your account more than once with different identifiers.
If you believe you have too many accounts displaying, check with your super fund.
Accounts not shown
Super fund accounts may not display online if:
- member account details have not been reported to us by the super fund
- we were unable to confidently verify and match the account details that have been provided by your super fund with your taxpayer record
- your account was closed before 1 July 2018.
Your super fund may be able to provide you with further information.
Self-managed super funds (SMSFs)
If you are a member of a self-managed super fund (SMSF), your SMSF account information will be displayed when the SMSF:
- has a compliance status of ‘Complying' or ‘Registered’ (you can check this on the SuperFundLookupExternal Link website)
- is up to date with the SMSF annual return (SAR) it lodges with us
- has reported a valid Australian business number (ABN) and reported it correctly on the most recent SAR
- has correctly added your membership through the Australian Business Register (ABR).
SMSFs don't report their super information as regularly as APRA-regulated (large) funds. Individuals should check with their SMSF’s authorised contact if their account is not displayed or they want to view their up to date transactions and balance.
Use ATO online services to keep track of your super, including accounts you may have forgotten or lost touch with.