Before you start, have these ready
- A myGov account linked to the ATO, or the identity details needed to link it
- A list of every employer you have worked for, including casual and short-term jobs
- Any old super statements, member numbers or fund names you can remember
- Details of any name change, because funds may hold an account under your old name
Two different pools
The first is accounts still sitting with a super fund that has lost contact with you. The second is money already transferred to the ATO - small or inactive balances, and accounts from funds that could not find you.
A myGov search covers both. It shows every account reported against your tax file number, including balances the ATO is holding on your behalf.
How to search
Log in to myGov and link the ATO service, then open Super and choose Fund details. Every account reported against your TFN appears there, along with any ATO-held amounts.
If you cannot access myGov, you can phone the ATO's lost super line or lodge a paper searching for lost super form. You will need your TFN and identity details.
Claiming ATO-held super is done through the same screen. Money can usually be paid into an existing super account immediately, or directly to you if you meet a condition of release.
Before you consolidate
Consolidating into one fund cuts duplicate fees and insurance premiums, and it is done through myGov in a few clicks.
Check the insurance attached to each account first. Closing an old account cancels its life, TPD or income protection cover, and that cover may be cheaper or easier to hold than anything you can buy today - particularly if your health has changed.
Also compare exit fees and long-term performance before choosing which fund to keep.
Step by step
- 1
Sign in to myGov and link the Australian Taxation Office if you have not already. Linking is free and only needs details the ATO already holds about you.
- 2
Open the ATO section and go to Super, then Manage or Fund details. You will see every account reported against your tax file number.
- 3
Look for accounts you did not know about, plus any ATO-held super listed separately.
- 4
Compare the list against your employer history. If an employer is missing, that fund may hold the account under a different name or the employer may not have paid super at all.
- 5
For any fund you cannot see, contact the fund directly with your old member number or employment dates.
- 6
Before consolidating anything, check what insurance is attached to each account and consider licensed financial advice.
- 7
If super is being held by the ATO, you can ask for it to be transferred to a fund of your choice through the same myGov screen.
Example: three casual jobs in your twenties
A hospitality worker had three casual employers before settling into a career. Each employer opened a default fund account. Two of the funds lost contact after a move and the small balances were transferred to the ATO as inactive low-balance accounts. Signing in to myGov shows the current fund plus two ATO-held amounts, which can be transferred to the current fund in a few clicks. The third old account still sits with its fund under a maiden name and only appears after contacting that fund directly.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the myGov list is complete. Funds report against your tax file number, so an account opened without your TFN, or under a previous name, may not appear.
- Rolling everything into one fund on the spot. Closing an account can cancel life, TPD or income protection insurance you cannot get back.
- Ignoring small balances. Small inactive accounts are exactly the ones transferred to the ATO.
- Giving your myGov login to anyone who offers to find super for you. No legitimate service needs it.
I found a possible match, what now?
A listing is a record the authority holds, not proof the money is yours. Note the reference shown against it, check the details you recognise, then open the claim page on the official site and read what evidence it asks for before you start. You lodge the claim directly with that authority, never through this site.
What documents you may needI found nothing, what now?
A nil result usually means you searched the wrong register, the wrong spelling of a name, or too few variations of it. Try surname only, earlier surnames and each state you have lived in, then work through the troubleshooting steps before you give up.
Searched and found nothingTip: Check your insurance cover before consolidating - closing an account cancels it.
Common questions
Official sources checked
- Researched and reviewed by
- Find Lost Money Australia
- Information last verified
- 1 August 2026
Find Lost Money Australia is an independent information service, not a government agency. Our review checks the responsible agency's current page, search location and claim instructions. Agencies can change their rules, so confirm details on the official site before you act.
Keep looking
Continue your lost-money search
Money goes missing in more than one place. These are the next things worth checking.
- Lost superSuper from old jobs, plus balances the ATO is holding in your name.
- Life insurance and friendly societiesUnpaid policies and super death benefits that were never claimed by a beneficiary.
- Unpaid wagesThe Fair Work Ombudsman holds wages it recovered for workers it could not contact.
- Bank accounts, shares and dividendsASIC holds bank money inactive for seven years, plus unclaimed dividends and share proceeds.
Searching is free. Every register we link to lets you search at no cost, and you can lodge a claim yourself. Be cautious of any business that asks for an upfront fee simply to search a public register on your behalf. Find Lost Money Australia is an independent information service. We are not a government agency and we do not hold or search unclaimed money databases.