How to Check If Your Government Owes You Unclaimed Money
You should never leave money on the table that is rightfully yours, but in the case of unclaimed property – funds or assets owed to you by companies or financial institutions – you may not even know what you are missing.
In simple terms, unclaimed property includes money (such as security deposit refunds, insurance payments, and uncashed paychecks), as well as physical items, such as the contents of a safe, that are left behind for an extended period of time. Businesses should try to contact you if you have unclaimed assets, but after a so-called “period of inactivity” the unclaimed assets are transferred to the government, making it easier for you to find and return what you own.
The States have official unclaimed property websites where you can enter some basic information (often just your name) and look for abandoned assets to be returned. Here’s how to find out if your government owes you.
How to find (and return) unclaimed property
- Go to unclaimed.org , the official site of the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. Scroll down to the Select State or Province button or click your state on the map to go to the official site of unclaimed property in your state. This includes the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, as well as the provinces of Canada.
- Each state database is slightly different, but you will see an option to search for unclaimed properties. Again, depending on your state, you may have to enter your last name or company name, as well as first name, city, or other identifying information, which may not be required but may help you narrow down the results.
- Scroll through the results to see if any of the listed properties belong to you. Some states will list the amount owed and the name of the company or institution, which can also help you separate unclaimed funds from others.
- From there, the steps for filing a claim will be different. You may have to select the listed property and your relationship to the plaintiff (whether you, your company, or an heir) and submit the claim to the basket, where you will enter additional personal information to complete your request. In some states, you may need to create an account to begin the claims process.
Please note that you cannot simply claim the property of random people and expect a check to appear in your inbox. You will need to prove your identity and provide documents such as your social security card and photo ID in order to complete the application. Expect the process to take some time as well – probably not a quick fix for late bills or upcoming rent check.
[ b / t CNET ]