A report titled “Overdue: Time for Action on Unpaid Super” has been prepared by Phil Gallagher (Former director of Treasury’s retirement income modelling taskforce) on behalf of Industry Super Australia showing that 30% of entitled employees did not receive their full superannuation contribution payments into their superannuation accounts in the 2013/14 financial year.
The report outlines a number of steps that the government can take to reduce the occurrence of non-payment or underpayment of superannuation entitlements.
In the meantime there are steps you can take yourself to ensure your superannuation is being paid into your super account.
1. Ensure you are entitled
Those who are usually entitled to receive superannuation payments fall in the following categories:
- An employee who is over 18 years of age and is paid at least $450 (before tax – either salary or wages) in a calendar month
- An employee who is under 18 years of age, worked more than 30 hours per week and paid at least $450 (before tax – either salary or wages) in a calendar month
- Includes casual, part-time and full time employees.
- You may also be eligible if you are a contract worker being paid primarily for Labour (including mental and artistic effort).
2. Compare your payslips to your superannuation statement
This can be time consuming as statements are usually provided half yearly and yearly for most super funds, while your wages are generally paid weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
Online access to your superannuation may provide opportunity to track your superannuation, however your employer may only make quarterly contributions in line with the following schedule.
| Quarter | Super Guarantee contribution due date | Superannuation Guarantee and charge due date |
| 1 July -30 September | 28 October | 14 November |
| 1 October – 31 December | 28 January | 14 February |
| 1 January – 31 March | 28 April | 14 May |
| 1 April – 30 June | 28 July | 14 August |
You can also use/create your myGov account to check the details of all your super accounts (including lost super) and how much has been paid into your super accounts in the last 2 financial years.
3. Talk to your employer
If you have any questions in regard to your superannuation you should speak to your employer first to find out how much they are paying, how often the payments are made and whether you are eligible to choose your own fund.
4. Lodge an enquiry with the ATO
The ATO has an online tool to report unpaid super contributions. Please ensure you complete the above steps before commencing the online tool.
Alternatively you can call the ATO on 13 10 20.
Financial Planning Review Service
If you do not have the time or are not confident chasing this information yourself, you may consider accepting a review service with an Accredited Financial Planner to track your superannuation transactions and balance to ensure you remain on track to meet your retirement goals.
Review service fees depend on the individual adviser or financial planning firm and can either be a flat dollar fee, a percentage of your balance or combination of both. In some cases this fee can be negotiated based on the level of service you request.
Roberts & Morrow Financial Planning’s review service is outlined in the Financial Services Guide.
