A recent article in Fox News outlined 4 places or methods where you can find unclaimed money. While there are many places to look, these four are a good start when searching.
Look for Unclaimed Money at the State Level
The best place to start is for sure the state you live in currently. Each state has their own website and search system to find unclaimed money. Some do use MissingMoney.com, but specifics about each law for each state are on their pages. Click Here for a list of the state pages. Once you search in that state be sure to check out any state you have lived in previously. Many times unclaimed property can be a result of moving.
Be sure to search using a first initial and partial names as these could also be reasons the money has gone unclaimed. There are other Search Strategies to use also. Common misspellings are also a good option to try if you’re not having success.
Search For Unclaimed Property Belonging to Deceased Relatives
Many times individuals don’t have proper wills or families aren’t aware of all of their financial accounts. In these instances the money can become unclaimed and turned over to the state. Its not lost however, if you can prove you are the next of kin, you can claim the money or property.
Security deposit boxes also are common unclaimed property accounts, mainly due to improper willing of the accounts. In most states these items have a clock on them, as states frequently hold auctions to clear out their unclaimed property coffers. Don’t stress as they keep the money from the auction in place to give it to its rightful owners.
Find Unclaimed Money At The IRS
One place you can find unclaimed money thats lesser know is the IRS. There are some instances where tax refunds can go unclaimed and even those who have passed away have refunds owed to their next of kin.
Retirement Benefits Go Unclaimed Too
Sometimes moving from one company to another can cause confusion for benefits such as retirement plans. This can be another place to find unclaimed money. As is the same for most unclaimed money it can also be an issue with willing these benefits to the next of kin so be sure to check for deceased relatives.