How to Claim Unclaimed Money

Unclaimed Money is a gift!

Every year the pot of unclaimed money continues to grow with the rightful owners not staking a claim. Part of the reason is people don't even realize they're missing money. Forgotten bank accounts, old escrow balances, and uncollected life insurance policies are all considered unclaimed property. Once you've tracked down your missing funds- they're relatively easy to claim! Here's how.

Instructions

1. To find out if you're owed unclaimed money you may have to do a little digging. Start by checking the treasury department of every state you've ever lived in. If you think you may be owed an unclaimed refund check, contact the IRS (the government is holding millions of dollars in refunds that were returned for one reason or another!) For more places to search for missing money see the link in the Resources Section below.

2. Once you've found money, you believe is owed to you, cross check the address. You should be familiar with the address linked to the unclaimed money, even if you no longer live at that location.

3. If it still looks like the money belongs to you, contact the treasury department in the state where it's being held. You'll be asked to confirm your identity either through a birth certificate, license, passport or some other means.

4. Complete the process of claiming money by filling out the proper paperwork. The treasury department will likely send it to you in the mail.

5. Once the paperwork is processed, sit back and wait for your once missing money to arrive.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to check for unclaimed money every few months. States are updating their databases of missing property all the time.

Resources

• Finding Unclaimed Money