Lost and ATO-held super climbed to just over $21.2 billion across just under 7.5 million accounts at 30 June 2026, according to the ATO's latest lost and unclaimed super data. That is up from $18.9 billion a year earlier. With super funds required to report and pay unclaimed super and lost member data to the ATO by 31 October 2026, what shows up in your myGov account can change in the weeks ahead.
If you are planning a car loan, the useful question is not just "do I have lost super?" but "if I find it, can I actually use it?" For most people under 65, the answer is no. Here is what the new figures show, and how found super does and does not change a loan application.
What the 2026 lost super figures show
The ATO splits the total into two very different pools. Its lost super (fund-held) table shows funds holding $14.7 billion across 356,000 lost accounts at 30 June 2026, up from $12.7 billion in 2025. Its ATO-held super table shows the ATO itself holding $6,560 million across about 7.1 million accounts.
A quick check of the averages shows why the split matters:
- Fund-held lost accounts: $14.7 billion divided by 356,000 accounts is about $41,300 each. That lines up with the ATO's media release figure of "around $41,000" for the average lost amount.
- ATO-held accounts: $6,560 million divided by about 7,129,000 accounts is about $920 each.
So lost super is mostly a small number of large, forgotten fund accounts, plus millions of small balances sitting with the ATO. The fastest growing slice was "lost inactive" accounts, which rose from $6.0 billion to $7.4 billion in a year. The ATO describes an inactive account as one that has not received a contribution or rollover in 5 years.
Multiple accounts are a related issue. As at 30 June 2026, around 4 million people held 2 or more super accounts, while about 79% had just one, according to the ATO's single accounts data.
How super gets lost in the first place
The ATO says super can be reported as lost when your fund has lost contact with you and the account has had no contribution or rollover for 12 months, which can happen after a change of name, address or job, or when the account has been inactive for 5 years. If the fund still cannot reach you, the money may be transferred to the ATO as unclaimed super.
Those are the same life events that often sit behind a car loan application: a new job, a move, or a name change after marriage or separation. Updating your details with your fund and the ATO is a small job, and it is worth doing at the same time.
Found super is still preserved for most borrowers
This is the part that matters for borrowing. Finding a $41,000 account does not give you $41,000 to spend. Under the ATO's conditions of release, you can generally withdraw super when you turn 65, or when you reach your preservation age (60 for anyone born from 1 July 1964) and retire or start a transition to retirement income stream. Early access is limited to narrow grounds, and the ATO warns it is illegal to withdraw super unless you meet a condition of release. Our explainer on whether you can use super to buy a car covers those rules in more detail.
What happens to ATO-held super depends on your age and the amount. According to the ATO-held super page:
- Under 65 and $200 or more: the ATO will generally transfer it to an eligible active super account on your behalf, if you have not nominated a fund. It stays in super.
- Under $200: the ATO will make a direct payment of unclaimed super money to you. The ATO says a direct payment under $200 is not subject to tax and you do not need to include it in your tax return.
- 65 or over: the ATO will make a direct payment of your ATO-held super to you.
For a typical working-age applicant, then, finding lost super improves your retirement balance but does not add to the deposit, savings or income a car lender looks at.
Worked example: what the direct payment numbers mean
The ATO's table of USM eligible for direct payment, as at 1 July 2026, puts the two groups side by side:
- Under $200: 735,000 account holders sharing $54 million. $54,000,000 divided by 735,000 is about $73 each.
- Aged 65 and over: 350,000 account holders sharing $618 million. $618,000,000 divided by 350,000 is about $1,766 each.
These are averages from rounded figures, not what any individual will receive. The takeaway is that a direct payment for a younger person is usually pocket money, not a car deposit. For older Australians the amounts are more meaningful. If you are 65 or over and a payment lands in your bank account before you apply, expect a lender to see it on your bank statements, and be ready to explain where it came from. Retirees weighing up borrowing can also read our piece on deeming rates and pension income.
Consolidating does not change your borrowing power
Rolling several accounts into one can mean fewer sets of fees and insurance premiums, which the ATO notes can reduce your retirement savings over time. Those costs come out of your super balance, not your take-home pay, so closing an old account will not change the income or expenses a car lender assesses. The ATO also says to check with your fund whether you will lose valuable insurance before transferring. That decision is about cover and retirement, so make it on its own merits rather than to suit a loan.
A five minute check before you apply
The ATO's Super health check walks through the steps in ATO online services through myGov. In short:
- Log in and select Super, then Fund details to see all your accounts, including lost and ATO-held super.
- Check your contact details, tax file number and bank details are current with the ATO and your fund, so any direct payment reaches you.
- Use Manage, then Transfer super to move ATO-held super into an eligible fund, if that suits you.
- If you are 65 or over, or the amount is under $200, Manage, then Withdraw ATO-held super lets you request payment.
Go to myGov directly rather than through a link in a text or email. If anyone offers to unlock your super early for a car, treat it as a red flag; our guide to checking a lender before you apply covers similar warning signs. If you lodge your own return, the 31 October tax deadline is also a natural moment to do the check, since you will already be logged in.
What actually moves a car loan application
Lost super is worth finding for your retirement. For the loan itself, the things that count are still your income, expenses, existing debts and deposit. If you are comparing options, start with how car loans work, test repayments on our loan calculators, and compare advertised rates on the car loan rates page.
This article is general information only and does not take your personal circumstances into account. For decisions about your super, check with your fund, the ATO or a licensed financial adviser.
