Unclaimed Money: How to Claim Yours for Free from the Government

You might have heard of people talking about unclaimed money from the government, and it might sound too good to be true, but it is a legitimate concept that affects many people. Essentially, unclaimed money refers to funds that are owed to you but have not been received due to various reasons. According to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA), 1 out of 7 Americans has unclaimed money. Continue reading to see how to claim your funds and explore more money savings tips.

How to Find Unclaimed Money

Scenarios Leading to Unclaimed Money

There are many resources where this money possibly comes from – like forgotten bank accounts, financial institutions, or checks sent to your old address. These checks are usually for small sums of money, but the amounts can vary. Additionally, you may have a right to unclaimed money that was made out to deceased parents or grandparents. Or it could be from a previous employers who haven’t been able to reach out to you, and turned over the money to the state instead.

You can search state unclaimed property offices, specific databases, and federal agency websites to find unclaimed money. It is important to utilize all available resources and conduct thorough searches to maximize the chances of finding any unclaimed funds that an entity may owe you.

Steps to search for your unclaimed funds:

• Visit NAUPA’s Unclaimed.org and click on your state. (if you lived in another state before, you may also want to search on that state)
• Follow the instructions provided based on your state. (enter your name, but try different variations of it, if you are married or changed your last name legally, you can try searching your maiden name as well)
• If you think you found a match, then simply follow the detailed instructions provided by your state’s website on how to claim unclaimed funds. (You may need to provide additional documentation for further verifications)
• Your state will most likely send you an acknowledgment letter after they receive your claim. (Claim processing may vary between states)

Check these sites where you can search your name:

• NAUPA’s Unclaimed.org
• missingmoney.com
• The IRS website for any undeliverable tax refunds
• The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation for unclaimed pension money
• The U.S. Treasury Hunt for unclaimed savings bonds, registered Treasury notes or registered Treasury bonds

Warning Signs of Potential Scams

You should always be cautious of any unsolicited communications or emails claiming to help recover unclaimed money. Scammers may attempt to exploit your excitement of finding unclaimed funds by requesting payment or sensitive information. It is important you verify the authenticity of any communication and only provide information to trusted and verified sources.

In conclusion, unclaimed money is a real phenomenon that affects many. I recently claimed mine and received a check in the mail within two week. You may be owned as little as a few dollars to hundreds and potentially thousands of dollars.