How do I correct a reporting mistake?
You are required to report the details of members you consider to be lost via the MAAS. You will have met your lost reporting obligations once you receive a technical receipt.
If you receive an error when you or your service provider pulls the message back from the MAAS service, you have 30 days to remediate the error.
If you receive an unmatched response when you or your service provider pulls the message back from the MAAS service, your will need to consider if there is an error or omission that would be required to be reported in line with section 390-115 of Schedule 1 to the TAA.
If you have made a mistake in reporting the lost status of a member, you have 30 days from when you identify the mistake to correct your reporting. For example, where you have reported them as not lost when they meet the lost uncontactable definition.
For more guidance, refer to Member account reporting and validation.
How should the lost member legislation apply for funds under a shared overarching provider?
The lost member tests should be applied at the member, not the account level. This concept also applies where the structure of the super provider is such that, although there is one overarching provider, the provider administers two or more products – for instance, a public offer product and an employer sub-plan product.
Example
ABC Superannuation is the overall super provider, and under it sits ABC Master Trust Fund and ABC Longevity Fund. A member, Mr Smith, has an active account with ABC Master Trust, and an inactive account with ABC Longevity Fund.
Examine Mr Smith's membership with the overarching super provider, ABC Superannuation, when determining if he is a lost member. As one of his accounts is active, he is not a lost member.
Note: In situations like this, we expect the super provider to ensure the member is made aware of their inactive account. You will either offer them the opportunity to consolidate the accounts where this is possible and desired by the member, or receive an indication from the member that they would like the account to be permanently excluded from being considered lost.
End of exampleCan a member be reported as lost even if they satisfy the permanent exclusions?
Yes. You are not obliged to accept any member as being permanently excluded and can change a member's status from being permanently excluded.
What happens when your member turns 65?
If your member has reached eligibility age, and you have not received an amount in respect of that member within the last two years and a period of five years has passed since you last had contact with the member, you should make reasonable attempts to contact that member.
If the reasonable attempts to contact are unsuccessful, you are required to assess the member the unclaimed money provisions.
Example
You have received one instance of returned mail for a member. The member has not received any contributions for two years.
Your systems show that the member last logged into their online account two years ago. You identify that the member has reached 65 years old.
You send a request to the ATO for information in relation to the member as you are concerned the member is at risk of becoming lost.
You assess the member and determine that they have not met the USM – general provisions as you have had contact with the member within the last five years.
As the address returned by the ATO matches that held on your systems you believe that the instance of returned mail may suggest that the member can no longer be contacted at that address.
You make reasonable attempts to contact the member using the data returned from the ATO. You successfully contact the member on the telephone number provided and verify their address. The member is not lost. The member’s address has been verified in the past two years.
The member is not USM – general. Although the member has reached 65 years, all other conditions have not been met.
End of exampleFor more guidance, refer to Unclaimed superannuation money protocol.
Return to:
Superannuation fund reporting protocol for lost member accounts. ATO information on guiding principles, legal terms, rules that apply to members, and efforts to contact members.