Finding an old investment can be difficult when years have passed and the original paperwork is no longer available.
People can lose track of shares after moving home, changing employment, changing their name, losing financial documents or simply forgetting about an investment made many years ago.
If you're searching for lost shares in Australia, the right approach is to work from reliable records and verify each piece of information carefully.
The Australian Government provides a free search for unclaimed money, including certain shares and investments recorded by ASIC.
If a possible record is found, the next step is establishing identity and ownership. Supporting documentation can be important, particularly where historical addresses or other details are involved.
When investigating a forgotten investment, collect as much historical information as possible.
Useful records include:
Don't underestimate old documents. A statement from many years ago may contain the exact information needed to connect an investment with its owner.