Superannuation for Working Australians:
Lost Superannuation
The ATO keeps a list of names of people who have been reported by their super funds as lost. This list is called the lost members register (LMR).
The register includes details of lost members for accounts held by:
- super funds
- approved deposit funds
- eligible rollover funds, and
- retirement savings account (RSA) providers.
If you have changed jobs, addresses or names you may be listed on our LMR.
You may also be listed on the register as a lost member if your:
- super provider has been unable to contact you, as they do not have your address or the mail they sent to you has been returned
- super provider has not received contributions or rollover for you in the past five years, or
- account was transferred to your fund from another super provider that reported you as a lost member.
SuperSeeker, the ATO’s tool that will look for your lost super in real time and instantly provide you with possible matches. SuperSeeker searches the LMR and our other records to find possible matches for your lost super.
Using SuperSeeker
SuperSeeker is a free service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You can access the ATO’s SuperSeeker:
- online using the SuperSeeker tool, or
- by phoning the ATO on 13 28 65 and following the prompts.
To use SuperSeeker online or by phone you will need to provide your:
- date of birth, and
- tax file number (TFN).
Alternatively, you can request a search of SuperSeeker by completing a Searching for lost superform (NAT 2476, PDF, 140KB), available from the ATO.
You can download the Searching for lost superform (NAT 2476, PDF, 140KB) directly from the ATO or request copies by phoning our publication ordering service on 1300 720 092.
If SuperSeeker finds a possible match, it will give you the name and contact details of the super provider that may have your lost super. You can then contact the super provider to give them your new contact details and talk about what to do with your lost super.
If you wish to transfer the whole balance of your lost super account to another fund, use the Request to transfer whole balance of superannuation benefits between funds(NAT 71223, PDF, 103KB) portability form.
Super accounts with less than $200
If the balance of your lost super account is less than $200, you may be able to take it out tax-free. If this applies to you, talk to your super fund for more information.
Provide your TFN
If you give your super provider your TFN, it is much easier to keep track of your super.
You can check whether your fund has your TFN by looking at your member statement. If your TFN is not listed on your statement, contact your fund.
If your fund does not have your TFN from 1 July 2007:
- your fund will have to pay extra income tax on certain contributions
- your fund may not be able to accept certain other contributions, and
- you may miss out on super co-contribution
Superannuation for women
How do you picture your retirement years? This brochure shows you how to make the most of your super. It aims to provide you with the knowledge to increase your super savings and work toward being financially secure in retirement.
The Office for Women, in partnership with the Australian Taxation Office, have developed the brochure “Women and Superannuation – taking control of your future”. The brochure includes information on how to:
- make the most of your super
- increase your super savings, and
- work towards being financially secure in retirement.
Follow this link to the ATO for details >>>Super for Women
Superannuation and your retirement
The changes to super from 1 July 2007 help to make super easier to understand, improve incentives to work and save for your future, and give you more flexibility around drawing on your super savings when you retire.
If you’re planning your retirement, considering your options or have retired or semi-retired, you will probably want to know more about accessing and managing your super benefits.
Super co-contribution income thresholds
The superannuation (super) co-contribution is a government subsidy to help eligible individuals increase their super account balances.
If you make a personal contribution to your super account and your income is in the range in the below table, you can receive up to $1000 co-contribution from the government.
You don’t need to apply. If you’re eligible, the ATO will automatically make the co-contribution to your fund based on information from your tax return (for income test) and information obtained your super fund.
There are two super co-contribution thresholds – a lower income threshold and a higher income threshold (see table below). If you are eligible for the super co-contribution and your total income is equal to or less than the lower income threshold, you are eligible for the maximum super co-contribution amount of $1000. If your income is between the lower and higher income thresholds your super co-contribution will be shaded in at a reduced rate.
You are not entitled to a super co-contribution once your total income is equal to or higher than the higher income threshold.
| Lower income threshold | Higher income threshold | What will I receive for every $1 of eligible personal super contributions? | What is my maximum entitlement? | |
| From 1 July 2009 until 30 June 2012 | $31,920 | $61,920 | $1, up to your maximum entitlement. | Your maximum entitlement is $1,000. However, you must reduce this by 3.333 cents for every dollar your total income, less allowable business deductions, is over $31,920, up to $61,920. |
| From 1 July 2008 until 30 June 2009 | $30,342 | $60,342 | $1.50, up to your maximum entitlement. | Your maximum entitlement is $1,500. However, you must reduce this by 5 cents for every dollar your total income, less allowable business deductions, is over $30,342, up to $60,342. |
Temporary Residents – Departing Australia
This information is for temporary residents and will explain what you can do with the superannuation you received while working in Australia.
Claiming your superannuation money!
If you are working in Australia as a temporary resident you may be eligible to claim your superannuation money. You can do this if:
- you visited on an eligible temporary resident visa
- your visa has expired or been cancelled; and
- you have permanently departed Australia*
* You may still be able to return to Australia on another visa even if you claim and receive your superannuation money.
This payment is called the Departing Australia Superannuation Payment. It is commonly referred to as DASP
Super & Salary Sacrifice
Taking your personal circumstances into account, salary sacrificing makes sense to most people earning more the $30,000 a year because it is taxed at 15% going into a super fund. If it was taken as salary, you could be taxed up to 46.5%, depending on your income.
Transition to Retirement
Almost anyone who is 55 and has a superannuation account will benefit from taking a transition to retirement pension(TRIP).
You will need an accountant or an adviser to help you with exact numbers, but the theory behind it is that you take a pension, which is taxed concessionally, and you salary sacrifice back into super at a lower rate than your marginal tax rate. Please contact us for further information.
Super contribution for low income spouse
Working spouses can get a tax rebate of $540 for making contribution of up to $3000 to the super accounts of their low or no income spouse. The rebate falls to zero when the low income spouse salary hits $13,800.
