Question: After leaving my employer, I discovered that my work superannuation hadn’t been paid for about nine months. When I queried this, they paid me an amount, but I’ve calculated I’m still owed thousands of dollars, so I’ve reported this to the Australian Taxation Office, which is investigating. My situation has been complicated by the company going through ownership changes. What else can I do to recover my unpaid super, and how does the ATO get the money back for me? Robert.

Answer: You’ve done the right thing going to the Australian Taxation Office to pursue the matter of unpaid workplace superannuation, says Michael Hallinan, a special counsel at SUPERcentral, the SMSF advisory division of Townsends Lawyers in Sydney.