The Unclaimed Money Act 2021 define unclaimed money to mean:

"…. any sum of money (including, but not limited to, principal, interest, dividends, bonuses and profits) that—

  1. has come into the possession of a corporation by virtue of a transaction with the owner of the money occurring in this State; and
  2. has been held by the corporation for at least 5 years; and
  3. in respect of which there has been no claim by the owner against the corporation.

Section 6 (1) (a) & (b) also states:

  1. a person (not being a corporation to which section 4 applies) has been in possession of money, of an amount not less than the prescribed amount, for at least 1 year; and
  2. the owner of the money cannot be found, the person may pay the money to the Treasurer."

Your money becomes unclaimed when:

  • the company has exhausted all avenues of finding the owner and the owner has been 'lost' for a period of five years
  • the person (not being a company) has exhausted all avenues of finding the owner and the owner has been 'lost' for a period of 12 months.

Department of Treasury and Finance can hold unclaimed:

  • dividends (not company shares)
  • deceased estates
  • liquidation disbursements
  • unpresented/void/stale cheques
  • wages/salaries
  • trust accounts
  • refunds
  • unclaimed money from other government departments/agencies.

Unclaimed superannuation previously held by the Department of Treasury and Finance in South Australia was transferred to the ATO in September 2014.

You will need to contact the ATO direct for your enquiry or claim.

For information on how to claim, contact the ATO on 13 28 65 or visit the Australian Taxation Office Lost Members Register

The Department of Treasury and Finance takes no responsibility for letters received from an unclaimed moneys agent.  We are unable to advise if a company is a legitimate company.

Agents are only able to obtain information from our database through a Freedom of Information Request (FOI), within guidelines of the Freedom of Information Act 1991.

This information is not necessarily relating to Department of Treasury and Finance in South Australia, so please refer to treasuries in other states and territories.

Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC)
Telephone: 1300 300 630
www.moneysmart.gov.au

Australian Taxation Office
Superannuation Lost Members Register
Telephone: 13 28 65
www.ato.gov.au