Lost Shares in Australia: A Practical Guide to Finding Forgotten Investments

 Lost Shares in Australia: A Practical Guide to Finding Forgotten Investments


It is surprisingly easy to lose track of an investment.

A person may move to a new home, change their name, leave an employer, lose an old share statement or simply forget about an investment made many years ago. Over time, these small changes can make an investment difficult to locate.

In Australia, this is a significant issue. Moneysmart currently reports around $2.7 billion in lost shares, bank accounts and life insurance.

If you think you may have lost shares, there are several practical steps you can take.

Start With the Government Search

The Australian Government provides a free unclaimed money search through Moneysmart.

This is the best starting point because you can search for potential unclaimed money without paying a third party simply to perform the basic search.

If you find a record that appears to belong to you, you may need to provide identification and evidence connecting you with the relevant historical information before the claim can be completed.

Check Your Old Financial Records

Don't rely entirely on an online search.

Old documents can provide important clues about investments that are no longer visible in your current accounts.

Look for:

  • Shareholding statements
  • Dividend statements
  • Old tax records
  • Bank statements
  • Employee share scheme documents
  • Previous investment correspondence
  • Old shareholder numbers

Previous addresses and names can also be valuable when investigating an older investment.

Why Shares Become Difficult to Trace

There are many reasons an investment can become disconnected from its owner.

Someone may have:

  • Moved house
  • Changed their name
  • Changed employers
  • Forgotten an investment
  • Lost paperwork
  • Inherited shares
  • Participated in an employee share scheme

The company itself may also have changed through a merger, acquisition or de-merger.

This means that finding an old investment can sometimes require more research than simply searching for a company name.

When Professional Tracing Can Help

Some claims are straightforward and can be handled directly by the owner.

Other situations are more complicated.

For example, you may remember owning shares but have no shareholder number. You may know the company you worked for but have no employee share documents. Or you may be investigating investments connected with a deceased family member.

Investafind specialises in tracing lost shares and investments and works with individuals, businesses and trusts. Its published process includes searching historical information, matching potential records, verifying identity and assisting with the claim process.

Choose a Service Carefully

Financial information is sensitive, so due diligence is important.

Moneysmart advises Australians to understand that professional claim services may charge a fee and recommends checking the credentials of anyone engaged to help with an unclaimed-money claim.

A professional service should clearly explain its process, what information it requires and how ownership is verified.

Investafind publishes information about its tracing process, security measures and verification procedures, allowing potential clients to research the service before deciding whether to proceed.

Don't Assume an Old Investment Is Gone

If you have lost track of shares, don't immediately assume they no longer exist.

Start with the free government search and review your own historical records. If you still cannot establish where an investment went, professional tracing may help uncover the missing connection.

The important thing is to investigate before giving up.

An investment that has disappeared from your paperwork may still be waiting to be found.

For Australians researching lost shares and forgotten investments, Investafind provides specialist tracing and claim assistance across Australia.

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