Did you know that every year all 50 states and the District of Columbia put away millions of unclaimed dollars into a special fund? In fact, the total amount of unclaimed funds for all jurisdictions reaches into the billions. It so happens that there are thousands of people who have moved on or moved out of a state or even several states and have simply forgotten that there is money that belongs to them. Where does this money come from?

There are many sources for unclaimed funds. These sources include: security deposits with utility companies; last paychecks; stocks or bonds; savings bonds; dormant checking and savings accounts; contents of safety deposit boxes; refunds; rebates; unclaimed insurance payouts (imagine that); and much more. There are hundreds of companies with millions of dollars worth of unclaimed property for thousands of unsuspecting owners.

Hey, you may be one of them! You may be busy now, even pulling out your hair, wondering where to find some extra money. Good news! Check with a state’s treasury department.

What’s reassuring is that the states will hold your property for years and will even pass it onto to your heirs, if they can provide acceptable proof.

So how do the states come by these unclaimed funds? Luckily for you, the states have a system in place that mandates that all holders (companies/individuals) with unclaimed property must remit the same to the each state’s treasury department. How it works is really simple. Holders are required to make attempts to locate the owners of unclaimed property and if their efforts are unsuccessful, they must deliver all unclaimed property to the respective states once per year. The states in turn attempt to notify the apparent owners of unclaimed property that they have the same in their possession and that the owners may submit claims.

The claim process has been simplified by the states. Each treasury department has a website where everyone can search for missing money or funds. Even better, the states have collaborated with two organizations, MissingMoney.com and NAUPA.org, which provide websites on which people can search for unclaimed funds in all states. What are you waiting for? Visit these sites and start searching today. Another bit of great news – the search is FREE and the recovery process will not cost you a dime.

What basically happens is that if you find property that looks like yours; submit a claim to the respective state. The Treasury Department will contact you asking for proof of ownership – identification of some kind – letters or utility bills with that old address; a certificate of ownership, etc. As long as you can prove that the property is yours, the state will send it to you.

Now, here’s a bit of caution. There are many companies that will charge you a fee to help you recover your missing money. Some of these companies are legitimate, but others are not. The fact is, you do not need any help because the process is simple. Get up and start searching.

Pass this information onto everyone you know.

Happy money hunting!