Correcting reporting mistakes
You're 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, you have 30 days to remediate the error.
If you've 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 more information, see Member account transaction and attribute service reporting.
How legislation applies under a shared overarching provider
The lost member tests must be applied at the member level, even when a provider manages multiple products under one structure, such as a public offer and an employer sub-plan product.
Example 1: one active account
ABC Superannuation is the overall super provider, and under it sits ABC Master Trust Fund and ABC Longevity Fund. Mr Smith is a member with an active account with ABC Master Trust and an inactive account with ABC Longevity Fund.
When determining whether Mr Smith is a lost member, you should examine Mr Smith's membership with the overarching super provider, ABC Superannuation. As one of his accounts is active, he isn't a lost member.
Note: In situations like this, you must ensure the member is made aware of their inactive account. You must either:
- offer them the opportunity to consolidate the accounts, where possible and desired by the member
- receive an indication from the member they would like the account to be permanently excluded from being considered lost.
What happens when my member turns 65?
If your member has reached eligibility age, and you haven't received any contributions within the last 2 years or contact from them in 5 years, you should make reasonable attempts to contact them.
If the reasonable attempts to contact are unsuccessful, you're required to assess the member under the Unclaimed super money protocol.
Example 2: one instance of returned mail for a member
You've received one instance of returned mail for a member. The member hasn't received any contributions for 2 years.
Your systems show the member last logged into their online account 2 years ago. You identify the member has reached 65 years old.
You send a request to us for information in relation to the member as you're concerned the member is at risk of becoming lost.
You assess the member and determine they've not met the 'USM – general' provisions as you've had contact with the member within the last 5 years.
As the address returned by us matches that held on your systems you believe the instance of returned mail may suggest the member can no longer be contacted at that address.
You make reasonable attempts to contact the member using the data returned from us. You successfully contact the member on the telephone number provided and verify their address. The member isn't lost. The member’s address has been verified in the past 2 years.
The member is not 'USM – general' because although the member has reached 65 years, all other conditions haven't been met.
End of example