Unpaid super worth more than $1.1 billion has been returned to the retirement savings of over 900,000 Australian workers in the past financial year, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has revealed. If you’ve ever wondered whether your employer has been paying you properly, now is a good time to check.
The figures, covering 2025–26, show the ATO dealt with more than 254,000 employers through reminders, prompts, audits and reviews. That work raised more than $1.1 billion in super guarantee charge (SGC) liabilities, up sharply from $795 million the year before.
Most employers are doing the right thing. The ATO says nearly 93 per cent of super guarantee obligations were met without it having to step in. For the rest, the message was blunt: firmer action against employers who ignored the tax office’s prompts brought in almost $250 million in penalties.
“Every dollar of unpaid super is money that should be helping Australians build their retirement savings,” said ATO Deputy Commissioner Ben Kelly.
Why unpaid super matters more than you think
Missing super payments are easy to overlook. Your wages still land in your bank account, so nothing seems amiss. But a few skipped contributions, left to compound over decades, can make a noticeable dent in your balance by the time you retire.
Since 1 July 2025, employers have had to pay super at 12 per cent of an eligible worker’s ordinary time earnings. That is real money, and it belongs to you.
How to check for unpaid super in myGov
The quickest way to find out whether your employer has been paying up is through myGov.
- Log in to myGov and open the ATO online services linked to your account.
- Go to the Super section and look for the contributions your employer has paid to your fund and reported to the ATO.
- Compare the amounts with your payslips, which should show how much super your employer says it has paid each pay period.
- Check your super fund’s records too. Your fund’s app, your member statements or a quick phone call will confirm what has actually arrived.
The ATO also has an online calculator to estimate how much super you should be getting. It’s handy if your hours or pay change from week to week.
What to do if you find unpaid super
If the numbers don’t add up, don’t panic. Mistakes happen, and sometimes payments are simply late or have gone to the wrong fund.
- Talk to your employer first, if you feel comfortable doing so. Ask when they last paid, how much, and which fund it went to.
- Check it went to the right fund. If you nominated a fund on a Superannuation standard choice form, make sure that’s where the money went.
- Keep records. Hold on to payslips, fund statements and any emails or messages about the issue.
How to report unpaid super to the ATO
If you’ve done your checks and are still out of pocket, you can report unpaid super using the ATO’s online tool, Report unpaid super contributions from my employer. You’ll need:
- your personal details, including your tax file number (TFN)
- the period you believe you were underpaid
- your employer’s details, including their Australian Business Number (ABN), which is usually on your payslip.
The ATO will keep you updated by post or through your myGov inbox. If it recovers the money, it pays the super, plus interest, straight into your fund. Be aware that the process can take time, and the ATO can’t always recover every dollar, particularly if a business has collapsed.
If you’re owed other entitlements, such as wages or super above the legal minimum under an award or agreement, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Payday Super should make unpaid super easier to spot
There’s good news on that front. Under the new Payday Super rules, which started on 1 July 2026, employers must pay super at the same time as wages rather than every quarter. Contributions generally need to reach your fund within seven business days of payday.
That means you no longer have to wait months to find out something has gone wrong. The ATO says early data shows employers are paying more often, and rejected contributions have fallen even though more payments are going through.
Mr Kelly urged employers who have not yet switched to do so “as soon as possible”.
For workers, the takeaway is simple. Spend five minutes in myGov, compare what you see with your payslips, and speak up if you spot unpaid super. It’s your money, and your future self will thank you for checking.
Read more: ATO Credit Card Payments Win Vital Reprieve Until 30 June 2027
General information only, not legal advice. Check the official source before acting.
Source: ATO, ato.gov.au, Licence: CC BY 4.0.
