Track your investments

Last updated: 17 September 2026

Find out what to check after you invest, including changes in value, income payments, fees and access to your money. Learn what to do if something does not look right.

Review your investments regularly

Tracking your investments means keeping an eye on: 

• how your investments are performing 
• any changes to risks and fees  
• whether your investments still fit your goals, when you will need the money and how much loss you could afford and would be comfortable with. 

Your investment provider, such as a bank, broker or fund manager, may provide information online, through email or in the mail. Check the latest statements, reports and account information available. Contact your provider if you cannot find what you need. 

How often you review your investments will depend on your financial goals, how long you're planning to invest for and how each investment works. 

Check statements and important notices when you receive them. Set reminders for reviews and any deadlines requiring action. For example, review a term deposit before it ends. For long-term shares and funds, a review every six to 12 months may be a useful starting point. 

You should also check your investments when important new information about them becomes available or if your circumstances change. 

What to check for different investments

Use your account information, transaction history, statements and reports to check your investments. Keep records of money you receive, fees you pay, and investments you buy or sell, including dates and amounts. Keep records of money you add or withdraw, income you reinvest and any tax statements. 

When checking performance, look at changes in value as well as payments from the investment such as interest, dividends or rent. Fees and other costs also affect your return. 

Check what any reported return includes. If it already includes income payments or deducts fees, do not count those amounts again.

Track savings accounts

Your bank will provide information through its website or app and through regular statements. These will show your balance, transactions, interest and fees.  

Check: 

• your balance and transactions  
• interest paid and the current interest rate, including when the introductory rate ends 
• fees and account conditions, including whether a withdrawal affects your bonus interest 
• any bonus interest conditions and whether you met them 

You can compare your savings account with other accounts to check whether a different account offers a better combination of interest, fees and conditions for your needs.

Track term deposits, bonds, and other investments that pay interest

How you track an investment that pays interest depends on the product and how you hold it. 

If you hold the investment directly, check your bank statements, broker account or investment platform. Check statements from the organisation that issued the investment and is responsible for making payments to you. This organisation is called the issuer. If you invest through a managed fund, check the information provided by the fund manager and use the managed investments checklist below. 

Check: 

• whether any interest or other scheduled payments have been made on time and in the correct amounts 
• reports or announcements about the issuer’s ability to pay interest and repay the investment, including any warnings about payment difficulties 
• any fees or costs 
• when your money is due to be repaid and whether you can sell or withdraw before then 
• whether you can sell or withdraw early, and any fees, notice periods or loss of interest 
• for a term deposit, whether it will automatically renew when it ends, and the rate and term that would apply 
• for a bond that can be traded, its current price if you may need to sell 

Track shares

Check your broker or investment platform for records of the shares you own and the transactions you have made.  

You can get company reports from company websites and through your broker. For companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), also check reports and announcements on the ASX website. 

The company’s share registry, which keeps its shareholder records, can also provide information about dividends and holdings. 

Check: 

• that the number of shares you hold is correct 
• that any buys and sells were properly recorded 
• the current share price and value of all the shares you own in that company  
• that any dividends were paid to the right account or reinvested as you instructed 
• brokerage and any account or platform fees 
• company notices asking you to make a decision and any deadlines 
• company reports and any significant changes to the company’s financial position, business plan or outlook

Track managed investments

How you check a managed fund, exchange traded fund (ETF), listed investment company or trust depends on the product and how you hold it. Information may come from your broker, investment platform, the product’s website, or reports and updates from the investment manager. 

Check: 

• the value of your investment and the date of that valuation 
• how the investment has performed over the period you are reviewing, after fees 
• whether any payments due to you, such as dividends or distributions, were paid to the correct account or reinvested as you instructed 
• fees and other costs, including any separate platform or adviser fees 
• any changes to how the money is invested, what investments are held or who manages them  
• whether you can withdraw or sell, any restrictions or fees, how long it may take to receive your money and whether these conditions have changed 

When comparing fund returns, use the same dates and compare investments with similar strategies and risks. Check whether the figures include the same types of fees. Past performance does not guarantee future returns. 

For investments traded on an exchange, check the market value of your own shares or units as well as the fund’s reported performance.

Track investment property

If you own an investment property, keep records about the property, your loan, and property managers or other service providers you use. 

Check:  

• rent received and any missed or late payments 
• loan repayments, interest charges and changes to the interest rate 
• council rates, insurance, strata costs, any land tax that applies and other property expenses 
• property management costs 
• repairs and maintenance 
• recent sales of similar properties in the same area, if you are trying to estimate the value of your property 

Compare the rent you receive with your loan repayments and other property expenses. Check whether you need to contribute extra money and whether you could cover costs during a period without a tenant. Property value estimates are a guide, not a guaranteed sale price. 

Check your investments against your investing plan 

Review whether your investments still fit your goals, when you expect to need the money, and how much loss you could afford and would be comfortable with. You can do this when your circumstances change, for example, if you change jobs, get married or separate, have a child, buy a home or retire.  

Before acting, ask: 

• have my circumstances changed? 
• does the investment still fit my goals and time frame? 
• has the investment changed in a way that affects potential losses?  
• am I still comfortable with the risks and could I afford the potential losses? 
• how would keeping or selling the investment affect my overall mix of investments?  
• what fees, tax consequences or restrictions may apply if I sell or withdraw? 
• do I have enough reliable information to make a decision? 

See develop an investing plan for detailed guidance. 

When to investigate further 

The following signs do not always mean something is wrong, but you may need more information: 

• statements or reports that do not arrive when expected 
• missed or delayed payments that were due to you 
• money missing from your account or transactions you do not recognise 
• unexplained changes in the value of your investment, fees or your ability to withdraw or sell 
• difficulty contacting your investment provider 
• repeated errors or unexplained changes in financial reports 
• frequent or unexplained changes to the people responsible for running a company or investment 
• a correction or clarification that changes information you relied on when making an investment decision 

Ask your provider to explain anything you do not understand. If you suspect an unauthorised transaction, contact your bank or the relevant account provider immediately using contact details you have checked independently. 

What to do if things go wrong

If you suspect a scam, stop sending money or personal information to the suspected scammer. If you have sent money or shared banking details, contact your bank immediately. See what to do if you’ve been scammed and how to protect yourself and report the scam. 

If you are concerned about financial advice you received or fees you paid, see problems with a financial adviser for the steps you can take. 

If you are unhappy with a financial product or service, contact the business first and explain the problem and how you would like it to be fixed. Keep a record of your complaint and the response. If the problem is not resolved, see how to complain for the next steps. 

The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) provides a free, independent dispute resolution service for complaints it can consider. 

Some compensation schemes may cover certain losses in limited circumstances. They do not cover ordinary investment losses simply because an investment falls in value or performs poorly. Whether you are eligible for compensation depends on what happened. See ASX compensation funds and the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort for information about the circumstances covered.