Searching for Unclaimed Money:

What is unclaimed property?

Unclaimed property can be almost anything. Unclaimed or Abandoned Funds are monies which are being held by numerous agencies until the owner claims them.  Some examples of the sources of unclaimed money are:

Payroll Checks	mortgage insurance refunds
Tax Returns	military benefits
stock dividends	uncashed money orders
cashiers checks	unclaimed insurance benefits
inheritances	mineral royalty payments
unused gift certificates	safe deposit box contents
unclaimed security deposits	pension benefits
stock	state tax refunds
union benefits	utility deposits
retirements	court deposits

 

There are thousands of institutions that hold abandoned or unclaimed funds , but the majority of the unclaimed funds are held by state and federal agencies.  Through reciprocity and streamlined reporting, assets are properly reported and placed in the custody of the state of the owner's last known address. An important U.S. Supreme Court decision, Texas vs. New Jersey, 379 U.S. 674 (1965), provides a guideline in reporting unclaimed property. Unclaimed property is to be returned to the state of the property owner's last known address. If there is no owner's address associated with the property, then it should be returned to the state in which the business remitting the funds is incorporated.  States regularly exchange property and related information. This is known as "reciprocity".   This is why it is important to check all states for unclaimed money and property which may be owed to you regularly, not just the most recent state you may have resided in.

Who is likely to have unclaimed funds?

Just about anyone! It is estimated that one in four Americans are entitled to a share of the billions of dollars nationwide that make up "Unclaimed Funds".  If you are owed money, you can get this money free or at low cost (minimal filing fees etc.)

How much money are we talking about?

No one really knows, however it is billions of dollars.  Some examples:

• The Social Security Administration is holding $75 million dollars in un-cashed benefit checks.
• The United States Treasury is holding $1.3 billion dollars in savings bonds issued before 1949 that have never been redeemed.
• The Internal Revenue Service holds $25.6 million dollars in un-cashed tax refund checks.
• The Federal Housing Administration is sitting on $60 - $65 million dollars in mortgage insurance refunds owed to borrowers who paid off their FHA home loans early.
• 95% of union members have a group life insurance policy that is paid by their employer and has never been claimed.
• Only 14% of railroad retirees have had their spouse or heirs claim their life insurance policy.
• American Express enjoys a float of $3.8 billion dollars on un-cashed traveler’s checks.
• Each state holds millions and even billions of dollars in abandoned funds: New York state alone is holding over 5 billion dollars just in bank accounts and security deposits, and California holds over 3 billion dollars!
  

• Unsecured Personal Loan
• Secured Personal Loan
• Secured Line of Credit
• Payday Cash Advance
• Vacation Loans
• Debt Settlement
• Debt Consolidation Loan
• Unsecured Credit Cards
• Pre-Paid Cash Cards
• Student Credit Cards
• Bad Credit Auto Loan
• Motorcycle Loan
• Auto Refinance
• Hybrid Auto Loan
• First Time Home Buyer
• 2nd Mortgage Loan
• Home Equity Loan
• Mortgage Refinancing
• Home Improvement Loan
• Nothing Down Homes
• Bad Credit Loans
• Buying $0 Down Car
• Foreclosures
• Student Loans
• Debt Pay-Off Grants
• Small Business Loans
• Gov/State Auctions
• Heating Bill Grants
• Real Estate Taxes
• Housing Assistance
• Student College Grants
• Small Business Grants