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How to lay your hands on unclaimed money
The Australian Tax Office has helped Australians find and consolidate 49,000 superannuation accounts in the past month.
But there is still a staggering $14 billion in "lost" super accounts waiting to be claimed.
ATO commissioner John Shepherd estimates that more than $6 billion of this has occurred because funds have not been kept up to date with personal changes.
"When people get married or move house, the last thing on their mind is updating their name and address details with a super fund," Mr Shepherd said in a statement on Friday.
An additional $8 billion is sitting in accounts that have not received a contribution in five years or more.
More than 40 per cent of super account holders have more than one account and those with small balances can be eroded by super fees and charges.
Mr Shepherd said many people fail to take advantage of their ability to choose a fund when they start a new job and end up opening a new account with a different fund each time they change jobs.
He said it only takes a minute to use the ATO's online SuperSeeker to check whether accounts could be rolled into a main fund.
How to find out what's rightly yours and how to claim it
To find lost Super:
1) Search the ATO Superseeker database
2) Contact the fund
3) Contact the correct state agency
Over 65's contact Australian Taxation Office
Helpful links:
To find funds in dormant accounts
Go to:
1) Australian Securities & Investments Commission's (ASIC) consumer website
2) Insurance companies
3) Banks
4) Building societies
5) Credit unions
Australian Securities and Investments Commission's (ASIC) consumer website
ASIC Unclaimed Monies Unit:
Australian Securities & Investments Commission
GPO Box 9827
Brisbane QLD 4001
Phone: Info line 1300 300 630
Email: infoline@asic.gov.au
