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Lost Money? Here’s How to Find and Claim What’s Rightfully Yours

/16 Comments/in /by Mary Hunt

Imagine finding a $100 bill in the pocket of an old coat—exciting, right? Now, picture discovering hundreds or even thousands of dollars in unclaimed property—forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, or missing refunds—just waiting for you to claim it. This isn’t just wishful thinking. Billions of dollars in unclaimed property are sitting in government accounts, waiting for their rightful owners. The best part? Finding and claiming unclaimed property is easier than you think.

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It’s a long story how Matt and Jenny lost 5,000 shares of Texaco-Canada stock. But they did. They believed their money was well-invested when they relocated to the U.S.

What they didn’t know was that when the company was sold to Texaco USA, all shares were liquidated and the proceeds returned to their rightful owners.

No doubt, a check was mailed to them, but by then, they were long gone, and their forwarding information had expired. So what happened to those funds? That’s what I set out to discover. And in the process, I uncovered a whole world of unclaimed property waiting to be found.

Matt and Jenny are not alone. From security deposits to expired gift certificates, insurance refunds to old bank accounts, and proceeds from class-action suits, millions of Americans are missing out on unclaimed property simply because they don’t know it exists.

Is There Lost Money Waiting for You?

Every year, millions of dollars in unclaimed property sit untouched, waiting for their rightful owners. Some of it could belong to you! The average unclaimed property refund check falls between $800 and $1,000, yet states return only about 4% of unclaimed assets each year. Why? Because most people have no idea this money exists, let alone how easy it is to claim it.

What Counts as Unclaimed Property?

Unclaimed property refers to any financial asset that has been abandoned for five years or more—meaning no activity from the owner. This includes:

  • Bank accounts (savings and checking)
  • Safe deposit box contents
  • Uncashed checks (including tax refunds and dividends)
  • Stocks and bonds
  • Security deposits or overpayments
  • Matured life insurance policies
  • Unclaimed death benefits

For example, if you’ve ever moved and forgotten to collect your utility deposit, or if an old bank account slipped your mind, that money is still yours to claim. Banks, insurance companies, landlords, and even government agencies can’t keep your money just because they lost track of you. Federal and state laws require them to safeguard these funds until the rightful owners (you!) step up to claim them.

The best part? Tracking down your lost money is easier than you think.

How to Search for Missing Money

Most states offer free online databases where you can search for missing money and even submit claims online. The quickest way to start? Do a simple Google search like: “Unclaimed funds California” (or swap in your state’s name).

For a one-stop search across multiple states, check out the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators at unclaimed.org. This nonprofit, affiliated with the National Association of State Treasurers, connects you directly to official state-run databases—no sketchy third-party sites needed.

A few minutes of searching could uncover money that’s been waiting for you all along. Why not take a quick look?

Forgot Your Refund? Here’s How to Get It Back

If you think you might have an unclaimed tax refund, don’t worry—it’s not gone forever. The IRS provides specific instructions on how to claim past refunds that were never received or cashed.

  • Check the IRS website for step-by-step guidance on retrieving your money.
  • Call the IRS directly at 800-829-1040 for assistance.

Refunds typically go unclaimed due to incorrect mailing addresses, lost checks, or direct deposit errors. A quick search could put that money back in your pocket where it belongs.

Claiming Funds for Yourself or a Loved One

Claiming unclaimed property is easier than you think! In most states, you can start the process online, and some even allow you to create an account to track your claim’s status. In some cases, your check could be in the mail within just 14 days.

If the unclaimed property isn’t in your name, you’ll need to provide proof that you’re the rightful heir or legal guardian. This might sound complicated, but many states have streamlined the process, requiring only a few key documents to verify your claim.

Did you know that over $8 billion in matured savings bonds have never been cashed? If you have an uncashed bond, check with your local bank—they may be able to cash it in for you. Lost track of a bond? If you have the serial number, visit treasurydirect.gov to look up its status. Even if a bond has been lost, stolen, or damaged, it can be replaced for free as long as it hasn’t already been cashed.

The bottom line? Your money—or a loved one’s—could be out there, just waiting to be claimed. Why leave it sitting unclaimed when it could be back in your pocket?

Real People Who Found Their Money

The search for unclaimed property can feel like a treasure hunt, and I’m living proof it can pay off! Take Matt and Jenny, for example. While it took an attorney to track down their stock sale proceeds, I found $43.54 with their name on it, just sitting there waiting to be claimed. Turns out, the insurance company misspelled their street name, and the refund bounced back as undeliverable before eventually being turned over to the State of California.

But the fun didn’t stop there. When I searched for family members, I uncovered $85.90 for my husband’s parents—a refund that had been sent to an old address after the forwarding info expired.

And then, to my surprise, I found $125 in unclaimed insurance funds for myself. The reason for the refund? I have no idea (probably some forgotten overpayment), but the check was returned because the sender had forgotten to include our zip code. No questions asked—just a quick claim form and copies of my ID, and 5 days later, a check showed up in the mail.

A pile of unclaimed money—large or small—could be waiting for you to claim it, or perhaps to surprise someone you care about. And even if there’s no big payout, the search itself can be pretty fun. Why not give it a try? You never know what you might find!

 

Question: What’s the most unexpected place you’ve ever found money? (Couch cushions, an old purse, the state treasury?) Let’s hear your best “found money” stories in the comments below.

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16 replies
  1. linda says:

    just for grins and giggles i check my former state and found my aunt and uncle. i called my cousin and let him know. they had both names correct and the address. i checked where i live now, and found my son, twice. he just filed to have it sent.

    Reply
  2. Dana says:

    About 15 years ago I got on my state’s (Missouri) unclaimed property website. I found my name, filled out a form and sent it back. Pretty soon I received a $50.00 check in the mail from the state. I have no idea where the money was originally from, but it was easy peasy to check the website and fill out the form.

    The whole process probably took around 10 minutes. That would have been the equivalent of making $300.00 per hour!
    Dana

    Reply
  3. Mike L says:

    Several years ago we received around $5000 in oil lease royalties. These funds had accumulated over several years after our parents had died. The oil companies did not have a forwarding address for us so the money went to the state’s unclaimed property dept.
    We suggest checking the ‘free’ state .gov websites. There are several .com websites with ‘similar’ address that offer the same services but they will cost you money. Also check any names you or your deceased relatives have used in the past and any states you or they lived in.

    Reply
  4. Cally R Ross says:

    Sadly, some of it will never be collected. when all the involved parties are deceased, disinterested or estranged, the funds will just sit there.

    Reply
  5. Cally R Ross says:

    I found $1400 for my parents (who are still living, thankfully) and funds for my husband’s father (who isn’t living). It’s amazing how one can “forget” about money!!

    Reply
  6. Deena Costley says:

    I had a jewelry store gift card turned in to the state due to lack of use. I found out when I went in to spend it. What was odd is that it wasn’t sent to my state, even though that’s where it was purchased and previously used. Seems Helzberg’s reported it to the state that their home office is in…Missouri. Not only that, but by law, they were only required to send 40% of the funds on the card to the state. I had to request from Missouri the funds that was sent to them & after some electronic shaming, Helzberg’s sent the rest. Beware

    Reply
  7. Kathy says:

    Sometimes, it can be difficult to claim money in a deceased relative’s name. I followed directions, but more & more stipulations were added. Finally, I threatened to get one of our U.S. Representatives involved before the check was issued. Persistance is my strength, luckily.

    Reply
    • Sheri J says:

      Thank you for sharing this. We are trying to collect a death benefit that my husbands father purchased in 1999 but having a similar experience as we weren’t aware of the policy. I am waiting on a response on my latest batch of documentation sent proving the connection. It has been challenging to say the least. People! Inform your beneficiaries of details. Insurance entities will NOT track you down. In fact the policy application my FIL filled out asked for nothing more than the beneficiary name and relationship so United of Omaha made up an address for my husband when the funds were escheated to the state. I Googled that address and it is pasture land with an outbuilding or 2 on it. The state is saying a proof they will accept is a bill addressed to my husband at that address so we are kind of out of luck there aren’t we? The longer this drags out the more chance legitimate records will be purged from the databases that I need and I am lucky to have found the info I have I suppose. I will gather what I have so far to send it to our Representative.

      Reply
  8. Karla says:

    Somehow we were turned onto this years ago. Every year the Omaha World Herald (our largest state paper) has a huge list of unclaimed property. One year we did find a small amount coming to us, but like you the interesting thing has been money that we have found for family and friends. The amount might not be huge but it is like a treasure hunt and actually a lot of fun! I can’t wait to tell him that we should be checking unclaimed property in other states as well. 🙂

    Reply
  9. Linda D Radosevich says:

    To confirm your comments, Mary, (and as an anecdote), my mom received a check from a bank in the town where she lived, thirty years later, from a forgotten savings account. It was the exact amount needed for an insurance premium that had just come due!

    Reply
  10. Elizabeth K Hahn says:

    I looked on the Colorado: Great Colorado Payback and found 3 claims for my father who is now deceased. All 3 say under $50. When I went in to start a claim it says I have to give them my Social Security number. I am afraid to do this? Is this legitimate?

    Reply
    • Mary Hunt says:

      I cannot guarantee anything, but I have no reason to believe is it not legitimate. I think they may be needing to confirm that you are legitimate? You must give proof of your connection to the deceased. Be smart, be cautious. But don’t assume more than is reasonable either.

      Reply
  11. Julie McManus says:

    Thanks Mary, I just found $100 for my husband (his deceased father’s) and $20 for my daughter. We all have filed a claim.

    Reply
  12. Deb R. says:

    I found $600 for my mother-in-law once. It was in her maiden name and she’d been married since 1950! I also found that my aunt, who died in 2001, has four listings, one of which is Esso stock, however the two surviving heirs who could claim it are not interested! I’m interested but can’t do it. And I just found out that my maternal grandmother (deceased) has some unclaimed funds listed but I need copies of my mother’s birth, marriage, and death certificates as well as my own birth certificate and marriage license. And I am guessing that I will need proof that my aunt, estranged from the family, is deceased as well (her obit didn’t even her mother / my grandmother’s name correct).

    Reply
  13. Suzi White says:

    In going through my late grandmother’s paperwork, and found old life insurance policies on my mother, her deceased sister, my sister and me!
    It’s been difficult to track mine down because people were working from their homes and my policy number wasn’t in the computer.
    My mother was able to collect from my grandmother and for my cousin on the policy for her late sister.

    Reply

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