How do I combine my Superannuation?
Febb Borje, a tax professional with 12 years of expat tax experience, specializes in US tax preparation, tax planning, and tax advice for US citizens and Green Card holders living and working in Australia.
*30-minutes US$347.
Table of Contents
You can combine your Superannuation in Australia by using myGov or your fund’s online tools to roll all your accounts into one main fund, helping cut fees and simplify management.
What does “combining my Superannuation” actually mean?
Combining your Superannuation means moving multiple Super balances into one fund to cut duplicate fees and reduce clutter. You end up with one balance to track, one insurance policy to review, and one portal to use.
For US expats, that single view makes things a lot simpler. If you also have a 401(k), this article shows how a super stacks up and what records to keep for US filings
When combining usually pays off
- You have several small, default accounts from old jobs.
- You want lower total fees and fewer statements.
- You prefer one investment option you can set and monitor.
When to pause and double-check
- You’re in a defined-benefit or corporate plan with special rules.
- An old account has valuable insurance you can’t easily replicate.
- A contribution is about to land and you don’t want it stuck mid-transfer.
How can I find every Super account fast (including ATO-held/unclaimed balances)?
Use myGov to see everything at once.
- Log in to myGov → ATO → Super → Manage.
- Check these:
- Super accounts (all funds matched to you)
- Lost Super (accounts a fund can’t contact you about)
- ATO-held Super (to check if the ATO is holding my unclaimed Super)
- Transfer Super (for consolidating once you’re ready)
What to have on hand
- TFN, photo ID, and your current fund’s member number.
- Recent statements or emails to confirm member numbers.
Fix common mismatches before you move money
- Update name, address, and date of birth in myGov and with each fund.
- Add your TFN everywhere so matching is reliable and future contributions link correctly.
- If a fund looks unfamiliar, call member services to confirm it’s yours using TFN and employment history.
Working from overseas
- Set up myGov with the myGov Code Generator and a current email so you can sign in without Australian SMS.
- Keep scans of your ID ready. If a fund needs certified ID, use an Australian embassy or consulate, a notary public, or an equivalent authority where you live.
- This is the fastest route to find lost Super while living overseas and action transfers without waiting to return to Australia.
Consolidate once everything checks out
- Use your fund’s online rollover or myGov → ATO → Super → Transfer.
- Confirm the destination fund ABN/USI and your member number are exact.
- If an employer contribution is due into an old fund this week, let it land first or ask payroll to redirect.
- Save rollover confirmations and year-end statements. If you’re in the US, keeping these in one folder makes life easier for your records.
Superannuation & US taxes can be tricky.
Contact us for help.
How do I combine Super using myGov with the ATO, or via my chosen fund?
There are two straightforward paths. If your details already match across accounts, the myGov one-click transfer (ATO online rollover) is usually the fastest.
Sign in to myGov, open ATO → Super → Manage, review Super accounts, Lost Super, and ATO-held Super if you need to check if the ATO is holding my unclaimed Super. When you’re ready, choose Transfer Super, select the account to keep, and submit.
If you’d rather do it inside your fund’s portal, start the rollover there. You’ll need the other fund’s ABN/USI and your member number. Many portals step you through fee and insurance checks before you confirm the request.
Pick one destination fund before you consolidate. Compare multi-year performance, total fees, service quality, and the digital tools you’ll actually use. If you’re overseas, make sure the app or portal works smoothly from the US and that alerts reach your current email. If you’re still mapping old balances, use myGov first to find everything, including ATO-held amounts, and if needed find lost Super while living overseas by setting up the myGov Code Generator for sign-in.
After you submit a transfer, keep it tidy. Save the confirmations, check your next pay to ensure contributions didn’t land in an old account, and ask payroll to redirect if needed. If a contribution is already in transit to a fund you’re closing, let it land or wait a few days before consolidating so nothing goes missing.
Will combining Super affect my insurance or beneficiaries?
Combining Super can cancel insurance linked to old accounts, so check cover before transferring.
Review life, TPD, and income protection in each account and confirm what happens if you close it.
If you rely on that cover, ask whether you can port the policy or apply for new cover first in the fund you’re keeping. Wait for written approval before you move large balances. If approval isn’t certain yet, it’s fine to keep a small balance temporarily so existing cover stays active until the new policy starts.
What fees and timing should I expect when I merge accounts?
Most Super rollovers are free, but you may face small costs like buy/sell spreads or legacy exit fees.
Costs to review
- Administration and investment fees in both the fund you’ll keep and the ones you’ll close.
- Buy/sell spreads when units are sold in one fund and bought in another.
- Fees for combining Super or legacy exit fees noted in each fund’s PDS. These are uncommon but worth checking.
- Insurance premiums if closing an old account will cancel cover you plan to replace.
How long it takes
- Online rollovers often finish within a few business days once your details match.
- Delays are common when ID checks aren’t complete, names or dates of birth don’t align, a TFN is missing, or a contribution is in transit to the old fund.
- If a payment is due this week, let it land first or ask payroll to redirect it, then submit the rollover.
Market-timing note
- You can be out of the market briefly during a rollover. If volatility worries you, choose a window you’re comfortable with or split a large transfer into stages.
- Ask your fund how unit pricing works on the transfer day and whether the rollover is cashed out and repurchased or processed as an internal switch.
What if I don’t know my TFN, can’t see an old fund, or need live help?
You can still combine Super even if a few pieces are missing at the start. Get the basics in place, then complete the rollover through myGov or your chosen fund.
If you don’t know your TFN
- Retrieve it in myGov under ATO services, or check past payslips and payroll records from former employers.
- Add the TFN to every fund once you have it so matching is reliable and future contributions link to the right account.
If an old fund isn’t showing up
- Call or contact your Super fund directly and ask them to search using your ID and prior employer details.
- If you remember a fund name but not the member number, ask them to verify using your TFN, name, and date of birth.
- Check myGov for ATO-held Super in case a small, inactive balance was transferred to the ATO and needs to be moved to your active fund.
After you consolidate
- Tell payroll which fund you’re keeping so new contributions don’t wander into a closed account.
- Turn on balance and contribution alerts in the app or portal.
- Review your investment option and fees annually so the account you kept keeps doing the job you want.
