How to Check Unclaimed Property and Money from Your State: Online Tools to Use

The government could have owed you money and you might not know about it. The money could have come from unclaimed property, a forgotten safe deposit, an unclaimed insurance benefit, or other such reasons. In the time of this crisis, every penny counts, and you need to get it back. Luckily, there is an online tool available for you to check and recover this money.

Cnet opened an exciting topic on managing personal finance and, more specifically, on the money owed to you but unclaimed. This happens when the state agency is holding onto your money, from cases such as a forgotten bank account, a refund or cash settlement, unchecked cashier's check, and other such related circumstances. This money has been enlisted to your name, and as such, you are entitled to claim it.

To find out if the state has some of your claimable financial assets, an official website was developed by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. Their area of coverage includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

Unclaimed.org

Head to the website unclaimed.org to get started. Select your state or province from the given map. You will be redirected to the "Unclaimed Property" page. Enter your personal information and other related fields that could help narrow or broaden your results. You can now search for related accounts and unclaimed financial assets under your name.

Missingmoney.com

For a much more liquidated search across all 39 states, you can use the website missingmoney.com. The online tool is endorsed by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. However, be warned that 11 states such as California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Oregon, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wyoming have not yet been included in the system.

To use this, input your name or business name and hit the "search" bar. It will ask for your specific City and Province or State. Enter search. This will automatically give you results for financial assets that need claiming from their respective owners.

How to Claim your Money

If you find your name in the results section, then you need to submit a formal claim to get it back. Each state handles the claiming process differently, where some would require additional documents to support your claim or submit these requirements online. You might be asked to provide:

• A copy of your photo ID
• A copy of your Social Security card or tax identification number
• Verification of your current address
• Documentation relating to the type of property, such as banking records, a cashier's check, or a stock certificate

Note that you might have financial assets to claim on behalf of a deceased relative. These might require additional documents to verify your identity and relationship with the deceased. However, the process would generally be different depending on each respective state.

The process might take about 90 days to complete. With the ongoing pandemic, it is important that you can reclaim all the financial assets you are entitled to. Use these online tools to help you get started on them!