You worked for two different employers in Australia and didn't provide your super fund details to either of them? Then you probably have two superannuation accounts — and you're paying admin fees on both, at the same time, for the same money.
Consolidating means transferring all your balances into a single fund. The process is free, online, and normally takes less than a week. This guide shows you exactly how to do it.
What is super consolidation and why do it
Consolidation (or rollover) is the transfer of your balance from one or more superannuation funds into a single account you choose. The money leaves the source fund and enters the destination fund — with no losses and no tax.
The reasons to consolidate are straightforward:
- Duplicate fees. Each fund charges an administration fee — typically between A$50 and A$150 per year as a fixed fee, plus a percentage of your balance. With two or three funds, you multiply that cost with no benefit.
- Fragmented returns. Small balances spread across different funds tend to earn less than a consolidated balance in a single high-performing fund.
- Loss of control. Managing multiple passwords, several statements, and employer contribution dates from different employers is unnecessarily complicated.
- Benefit before DASP. If you're leaving Australia and claiming your super through DASP, consolidating first means making a single claim instead of one form per fund.
Who has multiple funds — and how it happens
The situation is very common. Every time you start a new job without providing your fund details, your employer creates an account for you in their default fund — usually a pre-determined industry fund. Result: with each new job, a new account.
This happens especially with:
- Seasonal workers (harvest, hospitality, construction) who change employers frequently
- International students who had multiple part-time jobs
- Anyone who started working without knowing they could choose their own fund
If you worked for three employers without providing your fund details, there's a good chance you have three accounts — in different funds, with different member numbers, all charging fees.
How to check how many funds you have
Before consolidating, you need to know how many accounts exist.
Via myGov and ATO (main method)
Go to myGov.com.au, log in, and check that your account is linked to the ATO. If it is, click Australian Taxation Office on the main dashboard, then click Super in the menu. The system displays all accounts registered to your TFN — fund name, account number, and approximate balance.
Via Super Fund Lookup
If you have a fund name but want to confirm the details (ABN, USI, contact information), go to superfundlookup.gov.au. Useful if you have old statements but no longer know the exact fund details.
Via payslips
Australian payslips are required by law to show the name of the super fund and the contribution amount. Review the payslips from each job — they show which fund each employer was depositing into.
No myGov account yet? Creating one is free and quick at my.gov.au. Linking it to the ATO is done through the portal itself — you'll need your TFN and some personal details. Once linked, all your super management is centralised in one place.
Step by step: consolidate via myGov and ATO
This is the simplest method and the one recommended for most people. The system automatically locates all your funds by your TFN and processes the transfer without you needing to contact each fund individually.
Open my.gov.au and log in with your username and password. On the main dashboard, you'll see the services linked to your account. Click Australian Taxation Office to access the ATO portal directly.
In the ATO online top menu, click Super. A sub-navigation will appear with options like "Manage", "Stapled super fund", and others. Click Manage.
On the "Manage my super" page, you'll see a list of all funds linked to your TFN — with the fund name, account number, and estimated balance of each. Below that list, there's the Transfer super option (or "Consolidate super funds" in more recent versions of the interface). Click it.
The system asks which fund you want to transfer your money to. Select the fund where you want to keep your super — usually the one with the higher balance, the one you actively chose, or the one with the best fees. The selected fund is the destination; all others will be the source funds.
The system lists all other funds found. You can choose to transfer all at once or select only some. For most cases — especially those who are going to claim DASP — it makes sense to transfer all balances into a single fund.
The system shows a summary: source funds, destination fund, estimated balances. Read carefully — especially the note about insurance (see the section below). When you're sure, confirm the operation. You'll receive a reference number and a confirmation email.
The transfer normally takes 3 to 10 business days. After that period, access the destination fund's dashboard (via the app or website) and confirm that the amount arrived correctly. Keep the statement as proof.
Alternative: consolidate directly through the fund's website
If you prefer not to use myGov, or if you want more control over the process, you can initiate consolidation through the member portal of the destination fund — that is, the fund you want to transfer the money into.
The feature usually appears as "Roll in", "Consolidate", or "Transfer in from another fund" in the member area. The process generally asks for:
- Name of the source fund
- ABN of the source fund (available on Super Fund Lookup)
- Your account number at the source fund
The destination fund contacts the source fund and processes the transfer automatically.
| Method | How to access | Advantages | Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| myGov + ATO | myGov → ATO → Super → Transfer super | Automatically locates all funds by TFN; centralised process | Requires a myGov account linked to the ATO |
| Destination fund portal | Member area → "Roll in" / "Consolidate" | No myGov needed; useful if you already use the fund's app regularly | You need to manually provide details for each source fund |
Both methods are free and produce the same result. The myGov method is more practical when you have multiple funds, because it locates all of them at once.
Important warning: insurance linked to your fund
Transferring your balance cancels the insurance on the source fund. Many superannuation funds automatically include life insurance (death cover) and permanent disability insurance (TPD — Total and Permanent Disability) for members. When you transfer your balance to another fund, the source fund's coverage ends immediately — with no additional notice and no premium refund.
Before consolidating, check:
- Whether the source fund has active insurance in your name
- What the coverage amount is
- Whether the destination fund offers equivalent coverage (or whether you can take it out)
- Whether the destination fund's coverage takes effect immediately or after a waiting period
If you're still in Australia and the coverage is relevant to your situation, speak with the fund before transferring.
For those who are about to leave Australia permanently and claim DASP, the insurance typically loses practical relevance — you won't be in the country anymore. But if you're still going to be here for a few months, it's worth checking.
How long it takes and how to confirm
The official processing time for a super transfer is 3 business days from the date the source fund approves it. In practice, the process usually takes between 3 and 10 business days depending on the fund.
How to track:
- Via myGov + ATO: the transfer appears as pending or completed in the Super section
- Via the destination fund's app or portal: the balance will increase when the transfer arrives
- By email: most funds send a confirmation when they receive the amount
If after 10 business days the balance hasn't arrived, contact the destination fund — they can track the transfer with the source fund.
Consolidate before DASP: one process instead of many
Consolidating before claiming DASP simplifies the process considerably. By default, DASP must be claimed separately for each fund where you have a balance — one form or online request per account. If you have three funds, that's three processes, three processing timelines, and three confirmations to track.
By consolidating everything before you leave, you make a single DASP claim to the fund that holds your full balance. The process is the same — but just once, not three times.
Consolidate at least one week before your planned departure date to ensure the transfer is completed before your flight.
More details about DASP are in the companion articles: DASP: how to claim your superannuation when leaving Australia and How to claim DASP step by step.
What NOT to do
Some common mistakes can complicate — or derail — the process:
Closing the source fund before confirming the balance arrived
Never request the closure of an account before you see the amount in your destination fund's statement. If something goes wrong with the transfer, you'll need the source fund's details to resolve it.
Consolidating the day before you leave
The transfer takes a few business days. If you consolidate the day before your flight, the money may still be in transit when you're already out of the country. Do it at least a week in advance.
Ignoring small balances
"It's only A$200, not worth it." Even small balances have administrative costs coming out of your pocket. Also, money in forgotten funds can become unclaimed super money — transferred to the ATO after a certain period of inactivity — and the recovery process becomes more bureaucratic.
Transferring to a fund you're about to close anyway
When you claim DASP, the fund processes the payment and closes the account automatically. You don't need to do anything extra — you don't need to "close" the fund separately.
Consolidating without checking the destination fund's fees
Take the opportunity to confirm that the chosen fund is the most suitable for your situation. The ATO's official comparison tool (YourSuper comparison tool, available at ato.gov.au/yoursuper) lets you compare fees, returns, and insurance coverage for free.
Consolidation checklist
| # | Task | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ☐ | Check how many funds you have | myGov → ATO → Super or via payslips |
| ☐ | Note the name, ABN, and account number of each fund | Keep in a safe place |
| ☐ | Check whether there is active insurance on the source fund | Before transferring |
| ☐ | Choose the destination fund | The one with the best fees or the one you use actively |
| ☐ | Initiate the transfer via myGov or the destination fund's portal | At least 7 days before departure |
| ☐ | Confirm the balance arrived in the destination fund's statement | Allow 3–10 business days |
| ☐ | Keep proof of the transfer | For use in the DASP process |
Comments
Have something to add or a question? Leave a comment below — your experience can help other immigrants in Australia.
Comments are public. You can delete yours from the same browser and device you used to post.
Loading comments…