Where the money ends up
Banks, credit unions and building societies transfer inactive account balances to ASIC under the Banking Act. Share registries transfer undelivered dividends, share sale proceeds and unclaimed capital returns under the Corporations Act.
ASIC publishes all of it in a single searchable register on the MoneySmart website. Searching is free, and there is no deadline - money from the 1990s is still sitting there.
How to search properly
Search your surname on its own first. The register matches on name, so a narrow search with initials and middle names will miss records entered differently by the institution.
Then repeat the search with every name you have ever used: maiden names, married names, anglicised names, and common misspellings. Also search the names of parents or grandparents whose estates you may be entitled to.
Results show the amount, the institution that transferred it and a record number. Match the entry to yourself using the last known address shown against the record.
Making a claim
Claims are lodged with the institution that originally held the money - the bank or the share registry - not with ASIC. The register tells you which one to contact.
You will generally need photo identification, proof of your current address, and something linking you to the account: an old statement, a passbook, a share certificate or a holder identification number.
There is no fee at any stage. Interest is payable on bank money transferred to ASIC after 2013.
Tip: Have old statements or share certificates handy - they speed up identity checks considerably.
Common questions
Official sources
This guide is based on the official Australian registers and the bodies that administer them. Always search and claim through these sites directly - they are free.