When to determine and report unclaimed super
For your unclaimed super, lost member, inactive low-balance accounts and former temporary residents you must report to us twice a year, on 31 October and 30 April.
You determine your unclaimed super, lost member and inactive low-balance accounts as at the end of the unclaimed money day. You report and make the payment by the scheduled statement day.
If your unclaimed money day is 30 June, your scheduled statement date is 31 October of the same year.
If your unclaimed money day is 31 December, your scheduled statement date is 30 April of the following year.
You should determine if a member is lost before you consider whether their account needs to be reported to us as a lost member account. Any accounts reported and paid to us as unclaimed money should be updated as closed status in the relevant service. This makes sure that these members accounts aren't displayed on ATO online services as both lost and unclaimed (ATO-held).
Former temporary resident unclaimed super reported in response to a section 20C notice must also be reported and paid by the scheduled statement day. However, if we give you the notice less than 28 days before the scheduled statement day, the due date will generally be the following scheduled statement day.
You may need to report unclaimed superannuation money (USM), or lodge a non-lodgment advice (NLA), or do both.
You report and pay USM by the scheduled statement day if any of the following apply:
- You have received a section 20C notice for the super of a former temporary resident.
- At the end of the unclaimed money day you have accounts with a balance greater than zero that are
- unclaimed super of members aged 65 years or older, non-member spouses or deceased members
- small lost member accounts or inactive accounts of unidentifiable members
- inactive low-balance accounts.
For more information, see Unclaimed superannuation money protocol.
Eligible rollover funds
Trustees of eligible rollover funds (ERF) should have reported and paid all accounts to the ATO and wound up by 31 January 2022.
Trustee voluntary payment
You can make a voluntary payment to the ATO of certain amounts you hold for a member, former member or non-member spouse if you believe it would be in the best interest of these individuals. Payment of voluntary amounts must not meet any other category of USM under any other provisions of the Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Act 1999 (SUMLMA).
New Zealand-sourced amounts
Super providers who accept KiwiSaver accounts need to report New Zealand-sourced amounts separately when reporting USM. You must use the paper statement and report New Zealand-sourced amounts in the New Zealand-sourced amount field.
The New Zealand-sourced amount does not include any returning Australian-sourced amount which is generally an amount that was previously received by a participating KiwiSaver scheme from an Australian super provider and was originally accrued in an Australian complying super fund.
How to report
SuperStream
When you identify an account as USM for a reporting period, you can use the SuperStream data standard rollover USM data message and transfer the money using the USM rollover payment message.
In response we will send a rollover outcome response message to you.
This does not apply to USM that includes a New Zealand-sourced amount. USM that includes a New Zealand-sourced amount must be reported using the Unclaimed superannuation money (USM) statement.
Paper lodgment
The Unclaimed superannuation money (USM) statement paper form is for super providers with reporting and payment obligations under the Superannuation (Unclaimed Money and Lost Members) Act 1999 (SUMLMA) and for funds reporting New Zealand sourced USM amounts.
If you're a fund reporting for no more than 6 members, you can either:
- report electronically
- use the approved Unclaimed superannuation money (USM) statement paper form.
If you're a fund reporting USM that includes a New Zealand-sourced amount
- use the approved Unclaimed superannuation money (USM) statement paper form.
Do not use this USM statement if you are lodging for seven or more members - unless you are reporting a New Zealand sourced amount. A USM statement with seven or more members, not including NZ sourced amounts, must be lodged electronically.
For payment instructions see, How to pay USM.
Non-lodgment advice
You must submit a non-lodgment advice by the scheduled statement day if, at the end of the unclaimed money day, you are not required to report and pay any of the following:
- unclaimed super of members aged 65 years or older, non-member spouses or deceased members
- small accounts or inactive accounts of unidentifiable members
- inactive low-balance accounts
If you have no unclaimed super, lost member or inactive low-balance accounts to report, you can submit one NLA for all.
If you meet one of the criteria for reporting USM and one of the criteria for submitting an NLA, you must lodge both a reporting statement and an NLA.
Complete the NLA template (XLSX, 35KB)This link will download a file and lodge it through Online services for business.
You don't have to submit an NLA if:
- your fund is a regulated super fund with no more than 6 members
- your fund is a state or territory public sector super scheme that reports and pays, by law, unclaimed super to its relevant state or territory authority.
Penalties may apply if you:
- don't report your USM or lodge your NLA correctly and pay any amount outstanding to us by the due date
- provide statements that are false or misleading
- fail to keep records or you keep records incorrectly.
Prescribed state and territory public sector super schemes are permitted to transfer unclaimed super to us. If you're a state or territory government fund, contact your state or territory authority to confirm whether you can transfer unclaimed super to us.
Requesting a deferral
If you are unable to meet your obligations within the required timeframe, lodge a request using the Super Enquiry Service.
For more information, see Requesting a deferral of your member reporting obligations.
You may need to report, pay or provide a non-lodgment advice for unclaimed superannuation money twice a year