Survey Finds 21% of Australians Miss Correct Super
A Finder survey of 1,011 people found many Australians say their employer paid their superannuation incorrectly or not at all.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Retirement Planning
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Do you trust your employer to pay your superannuation correctly?
A Finder survey found 21 per cent of Australians said an employer did not pay their superannuation correctly, and one in 12 said an employer never paid super at all. Australians hold more than $21 billion in lost super across 7.5 million accounts, according to ATO data.
Why it matters
Super is a core component of retirement savings, and underpayments or lost accounts can quietly reduce a worker's future balance. Since 1 July, employers must pay super at the same time as regular salary, giving workers a clearer basis for checking payments.
A Finder survey of 1,011 respondents found 21 per cent reported incorrect employer super payments, and one in 12 reported none at all. ATO data shows $21 billion across 7.5 million lost super accounts, though recovery outcomes remain unstated.
The players
Finder
Finder is an Australian comparison and personal finance website that publishes consumer research on money matters.
Australian Taxation Office (ATO)
The ATO is the Australian government agency responsible for tax administration and superannuation oversight, including the lost super register.
The details
Lost super most often arises when an employee changes their name, moves jobs, or changes contact details, and is estimated to fall mostly on young Australians who worked multiple casual or seasonal jobs. Many Australians do not check their super to confirm it is paid correctly.
Timeline
July 1: Payday Super legislation took effect, requiring super to be paid at the same time as regular salary.
9 November 2026: Finder published the survey results.
Big Picture
The findings arrive as Payday Super, which took effect on 1 July, requires employers to pay super alongside each salary payment rather than quarterly. Survey results suggest many workers have not yet verified that their employers comply with the new timing rule.
Workers can check each payslip to confirm super is being paid with every pay cycle under Payday Super. Those who suspect lost super can consolidate accounts through myGov after verifying identity with the documents used to set up the fund.
The takeaway
Checking your payslip against your super contributions each pay cycle is a simple way to catch underpayments early. Consolidating lost accounts through myGov can keep your retirement savings in one place.
Further reading
Learn more about retirement planning and how super fits into long-term savings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Thenewdaily.
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Do you trust your employer to pay your superannuation correctly?
