This guide is general information only and is not financial or legal advice. Official unclaimed money searches are always free. Always search through the government sources listed here and never pay a fee to find money you can claim yourself.
Billions of dollars sit unclaimed across Australia in forgotten bank accounts, lost superannuation, matured insurance policies, share dividends and old bonds. Money becomes unclaimed when a provider loses contact with you or an account sits inactive for a set period. It does not disappear. It is held by a government body and can be claimed at any time, for free, with no time limit.
What unclaimed money is
Money becomes unclaimed when a bank, super fund, insurer, share registry or other provider cannot contact the account holder, or when an account sits inactive for a set period under law. The money is then transferred to a government body for safekeeping.
Common sources of unclaimed money in Australia include: bank accounts that have been inactive for seven years; matured life insurance policies unclaimed for seven years; share dividends, trust distributions and managed fund units where the holder cannot be contacted for six or more years; lost or unclaimed superannuation; and wages, bonds, rental bonds, and proceeds of the sale of property held by state and territory revenue offices.
The balances involved are significant. As at February 2026, around $21.5 billion in lost or unclaimed super alone sat in forgotten accounts across Australia (Treasury, Superannuation Statistics, February 2026). The Commonwealth unclaimed money register held by ASIC covers additional billions in bank accounts, insurance policies, shares and managed investments.
Searching is always free
Every official unclaimed money search in Australia is free. Government agencies that hold unclaimed money do not charge a fee to search their registers. This applies at the federal level through ASIC's MoneySmart service, at the ATO for lost super, and at every state and territory revenue or treasury office.
Private agents sometimes advertise money finding services and offer to search and claim money on your behalf for a percentage of whatever they find. You do not need to use these services. In most cases you can search and lodge a claim yourself in a few minutes using the links in this guide, and keep the full amount.
Government agencies will never ask for your password, credit card details, or bank account number by email or SMS. If you receive an unsolicited message claiming to have found money for you and asking for payment or personal credentials, treat it as a scam and report it to Scamwatch.
Some agencies charge a small administrative processing fee once a claim has been approved and verified. For example, the ACT applies an $88 fee per approved claim. But searching is always free, and any such fee applies only after the claim has been assessed, not before.
Federal unclaimed money: ASIC via MoneySmart
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) runs the federal unclaimed money register for bank accounts, insurance policies, and investments. The public-facing search tool is at moneysmart.gov.au/find-unclaimed-money. MoneySmart is ASIC's consumer website, so these are one source, not two.
The ASIC register covers: bank accounts inactive for seven years; matured life insurance policies unclaimed for seven years; shares and managed investments where the holder cannot be contacted for six or more years; and money from deregistered companies.
When an account is transferred to ASIC, it moves into the Commonwealth Consolidated Revenue Fund. The money remains yours. Interest is paid on amounts held since 1 July 2013. Each record on the register has a unique Original Transaction Number (OTN), which you will need to cite when lodging a claim.
To search, go to moneysmart.gov.au/find-unclaimed-money and enter your name, including previous names if applicable. You can also search for a deceased estate. If you find a match, the page provides instructions on how to lodge a claim directly through ASIC.
Lost super: the ATO
Around $21.5 billion in lost or unclaimed super sits in forgotten accounts across Australia as at February 2026. Super can become lost if a fund cannot contact you after two attempts, or unclaimed if the fund cannot locate you and you have reached 65 or met a condition of release.
The fastest way to find and consolidate lost super is through myGov. Log in at my.gov.au, link the ATO if you have not already done so, then select Super under ATO online services. The ATO holds records of all super accounts linked to your tax file number, including any ATO-held super. You can consolidate multiple accounts into your preferred fund from the same screen.
If you do not have a myGov account, call the ATO's Automated Super Search line on 13 28 65. You can also ask your current super fund to search for and consolidate other accounts on your behalf.
Before consolidating, check whether any account has insurance cover attached. Consolidating can cancel that cover. A registered tax agent or financial adviser can help you weigh that up.
State and territory registers
Each state and territory holds its own unclaimed money register covering amounts such as share dividends paid but not cashed, salaries and wages, bonds, rental bonds, overpayments, cheques, and proceeds of the sale of property. Use the table below to find the right agency for your state or territory.
Note: some agencies charge a small administrative processing fee once a claim is approved and verified. For example, the ACT applies an $88 fee per approved claim. Searching is always free, and any fee applies only after the claim has been assessed.
| State / Territory | Where to search |
|---|---|
| NSW | Revenue NSW (revenue.nsw.gov.au/unclaimed-money) |
| VIC | State Revenue Office Victoria (sro.vic.gov.au/unclaimed-money) |
| QLD | Public Trustee of Queensland (pt.qld.gov.au/other-services/unclaimed-money) |
| WA | WA Department of Treasury (wa.gov.au, unclaimed money service) |
| SA | SA Department of Treasury and Finance (treasury.sa.gov.au) |
| TAS | Tasmanian Department of Treasury and Finance (unclaimed.money@treasury.tas.gov.au) |
| ACT | Public Trustee and Guardian for the ACT (ptg.act.gov.au/unclaimed-money) |
| NT | Northern Territory Treasury (nt.gov.au, unclaimed money) |
What you need to make a claim
Requirements vary by agency, but most claims require: proof of your identity, such as a certified copy of a driver's licence or passport; proof of your connection to the funds, such as a previous address, an account number, or the name the account was held in; and your bank account details for payment.
Claims on behalf of a deceased estate typically require additional documents including a certified copy of the death certificate, the grant of probate or letters of administration, and evidence that you are an executor or administrator of the estate.
Claims on behalf of a company or trust require documents that show you are authorised to act for that entity, such as company registration documents or a trust deed.
Start the claim process on the relevant agency's website. Most agencies provide a claim form and a document checklist. If you are unsure what documents you need, contact the agency before lodging the claim.
How to stop money becoming unclaimed
The most common reason money becomes unclaimed is that a provider cannot reach the account holder because contact details have changed. Keeping your details current across all your accounts removes that risk.
A few things worth doing: tell your bank, super fund, insurer and share registry when your address, email or phone number changes; consolidate multiple super accounts into one so there is less to lose track of; log in to your accounts at least once a year so they remain active; and make sure family members or beneficiaries know where your accounts are held.
If you have never searched for unclaimed money, it is worth running a check now even if you do not expect to find anything. Old accounts from decades ago, or small share parcels, are easy to forget. The search takes a few minutes and costs nothing.