Have you ever moved without getting your utility deposit back, or forgotten about an old checking or savings account? That money is still yours and you can still get it from your state government. Several states have made finding and recovering unclaimed property much easier with online access to property databases and even online claim forms. This feature is designed to provide you with information about unclaimed (escheat) property and links to all available online state property recovery resources.

Can the Federal Government find unclaimed property for me?
What is Unclaimed Property?
You might have unclaimed property if...
Finding and claiming unclaimed property
About paid search firms

National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA)
The NAUPA estimates that states are holding more than $10 billion in unclaimed property. Banks, businesses, government agencies and other entities across the nation are believed to still be holding at least this much. Approximately 26 million Americans are the rightful owners of this unclaimed property.

Can the Federal Government find unclaimed property for me?
No. No agency or employee of the U.S. Federal Government can help you recover unclaimed property.

"There is no government-wide, centralized information service or database from which information on unclaimed government assets may be obtained. Each individual Federal agency maintains its own records and would need to research and release that data on a case-by-case basis. The only unclaimed asset information that would be in the possession of the Department of the Treasury would pertain to outstanding Federal government check issue records." – United States Treasury Department

Each State handles the reporting and collection of unclaimed property and each state has its own laws and recovery methods for unclaimed property.

What is unclaimed property?
Unclaimed property can be any financial asset or sum of money that appears to have been abandoned by the owner.

Some typical types of unclaimed property include:

• Uncashed dividend, payroll or cashier's checks
• Stocks certificates or accounts, bonds, mutual fund accounts
• Life insurance policy proceeds
• Utility deposits (very common), credit balances, store refunds
• Wages
• Checking and savings accounts
• Gift certificates
• Traveler's Checks
• Safe deposit boxes
• Royalty payments
• Court payments or deposits

Most state laws require financial institutions, public utilities, and various other entities to report personal property considered abandoned or unclaimed. The account or property must have been inactive for some period of time specified by state law, and the whereabouts of the owner must be unknown.

In most states, the Comptroller or Treasurer acts as custodian of the property holding it in a trust until claimed by the rightful owner.

You might have unclaimed property if...

• you have retired, been reassigned, or laid off from a job.
• not made a transaction on your checking or savings account for over three years.
• stopped payments on an insurance policy.
• moved without (and sometimes with) leaving a forwarding address.
• have an uncashed check made out to you more than 3 years ago.
• regularly throw away your mail without reading it. (Hey, you may really have been a winner.)
• noticed that regular dividend, interest, or royalty checks have stopped coming.
• settled a family member's estate. (You probably missed some property.)

You may have unclaimed property in any state where you or your relatives have ever lived or done business. In the process of doing this story, I found and recovered a long-forgotten $150 utility deposit from a Texas city I left over ten years ago. You just never know.

Finding and reclaiming unclaimed property
Each state has it's own methods and requirements for finding and reclaiming unclaimed property. Many states now have online, searchable unclaimed property databases and information on the Internet.

Start Search Here: Links to State unclaimed property recovery information 

Once you have found that you do or may have unclaimed property, the state will require you to send them -- either via an online form or snail mail -- complete information about yourself so that they can verify your ownership of the property.

At the least, you will need to tell the state:

• Your complete legal name including middle initial or name, maiden name, Jr., Sr., III, etc., or the exact name of your business.
• Your Social Security Number or Federal Employer Identification Number in the case of a business.
• Your current and/or previous street and city addresses in the state and city.
• A daytime phone number.

Once the state has verified your ownership of the unclaimed property, they will mail you a claim form. Read all of the instructions with the form, sign and date the form, attach all requested documentation (as much as possible) and mail the form back to the state.

Several states deduct a minimal handling fee on claims, generally no more that 1 - 1.5 percent of the value of the claim.

The State of California now offers an online unclaimed property auction.

For more information see: Unclaimed Assets: Money The Government Owes You!
A great Web site full of information on finding and recovering government-held assets by author Mark Tofal.

About paid search firms
Many firms advertise that they will go out search for unclaimed property on your behalf. Many of these firms are totally honest and offer good services. However, watch out for firms that have already found unclaimed property belonging to you and want to charge you to recover it. More often than not, if you can find it, and prove it's yours, you can claim it yourself.

Many states require search firms and heirfinders to be licensed or registered and impose legal limits on how large a percentage of the value of the claimed property they can charge.

Always check with the unclaimed property department within your state government before signing a contract with a property search firm.

Links to State unclaimed property recovery information
Locate unclaimed money online, get claim forms and information from each state and D.C.