How To Claim Unclaimed Property

How To Claim Unclaimed Property – If you’ve ever been in line at the DMV, you know how inefficient the administration of government affairs can be.

There are now estimated to be billions of dollars in unclaimed funds across the country, according to the National Association of Unclaimed Cash Administrators.

How To Claim Unclaimed Property

Some of that money could be yours! And just think, that money could pay off expensive credit card debt or finance important expenses.

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Most people don’t even know the government owes them money, and even if they do, they’re not sure how to claim it.

There is no central government “unclaimed money” site and anyone who claims otherwise is most likely trying to rip you off.

In this helpful guide, we’ll show you the steps you need to take to find out if there’s any unclaimed money or property waiting for you, and how to claim it.

We’ll also give you tips on how to spot unclaimed funds scams so you can protect yourself or your loved ones.

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Fortunately, even if you’ve tried and failed to recover your unclaimed funds in the past, there are newer, faster ways to get your money back in your hands.

The first step to finding out if you have unclaimed money is to start locally. That means searching by state at Unclaimed.org, a website run by the National Association of Administrators of Unclaimed Property (NAUPA).

You should search in the state you currently live in, as well as any states you’ve lived in before.

You can also try searching using your first initial and last name – there’s no way to tell how your name appears in different government databases, so it’s a good idea to try multiple searches.

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It’s worth noting that some states will accept copies of the above documents, while others require the originals, so be sure to check your state’s specific requirements when filing a claim.

If you are claiming the property on behalf of someone else who is still alive but cannot make the claim themselves, you will need documents to show your authority over them, such as a letter of guardianship or a power of attorney.

If the owner of the unclaimed funds is a minor, you will need a copy of their birth certificate.

If there is more than one applicant for funds, each will need to prove their identity.

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If your name has changed from the name on the claim, you will need proof of the name change, such as a marriage certificate.

Filing online may mean you receive your unclaimed funds sooner, but even if you complete the forms online, you may still need to print them out and mail them in with your proof of identity.

The process doesn’t take long, but waiting for parts can take anywhere from two weeks to six months

After mailing or submitting the claim form and the requested identity verification documents online, the final step is to wait.

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It can take as little as two weeks from the time you submit your claim or up to six months to receive your money.

You will need a copy of the death certificate if you want to claim unclaimed funds for someone who has died

If the original owner of the funds is deceased, you will need a copy of the death certificate and one of the following:

If the property is currently in probate. You will need a certified copy of the letter of administration or letter of testamentary disposition.

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If the inheritance was probated, but the property itself is closed. You will need a certified copy of the will. The claim must be submitted to all the heirs named in the will.

You will want to provide the addresses of all listed heirs. Or, if you are suing for them, a notarized written disclaimer giving you permission to sue on their behalf.

If the inheritance was not probated, but the deceased person had a will. Depending on the state you live in, you will need a copy of the will and may need to fill out a small affidavit of estate form.

Unclaimed.org and MissingMoney.org are just a starting point to help you find your unclaimed funds.

How To Find State Unclaimed Funds

Fortunately, there are plenty of other places you can look for other types of unclaimed money. Here are the best places to look:

If your IRS tax refund is delayed or not delivered, the IRS may owe you money.

To learn when and why tax returns are marked as undelivered, how to fix this problem, and to see if there are any unclaimed refunds, visit IRS.gov.

Even if you don’t have to file a return, it may be in your best interest to have federal taxes withheld from your paycheck and qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

Yes, It’s Free To Search For And Claim Your Unclaimed Money

If your wages were below the minimum filing requirement, you’ll still be able to claim a federal tax refund if you file within three years of the original deadline.

If you believe you may be owed an unclaimed tax refund in the state where you live (or have lived in the past), contact your state’s tax department.

The US government has a special agency that deals with pensions, the PBGC, or Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

If the company goes out of business or ends a defined benefit plan, you can also look for unclaimed funds here for those situations.

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The US government used a website called “Treasury Hunt” that allowed you to search for bonds issued since 1974 that had matured and were no longer earning interest.

Although this service is no longer available, clicking on the link above will take you to the appropriate form and link to file a claim for lost, stolen or destroyed bonds.

Conversely, if you want to know the value of your paper savings bond, you can do that too.

If you believe you are owed wages by your employer, you can search the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division database.

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The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) maintains a database of unclaimed insurance funds owed to certain current or former policyholders or their beneficiaries.

However, they do not include funds from SGLI – Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance and VGLI – Veterans’ Group Life Insurance policies from 1965 to the present.

The FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) maintains a database of unclaimed funds from failed banks and financial institutions that you can search.

Like the banks’ FDIC, the NCUA, or National Credit Union Administration, maintains a database of unclaimed deposits due to credit union insolvencies.

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When a company or individual owes investors money, the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) files enforcement cases against those funds.

If you are a US citizen and have lost property abroad (for example, nationalization of property by a foreign government, loss of property due to a military operation, etc.), the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission may be able to help you.

Scammers usually call, email or even send official correspondence saying that you might be entitled to your unclaimed funds as long as you pay to get them back.

The scammer contacts you by phone or email, pretending to be an employee or a branch of the cashier’s office in the state where you currently live or have lived in the past.

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The scammer sends you a letter on National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) letterhead. NAUPA is a legitimate organization, but it does not send letters to communicate directly with residents.

People who claim to be brokers or “locators” claim to have found money owed to you and offer to do all the work for you in exchange for a share of the funds.

Others are just scammers who are only too happy to collect all your personal and private information and payment information and then redirect you to the sites mentioned above.

Many of them go to Unclaimed.org or MissingMoney.org and actually find things like past names, addresses, and even unclaimed funds.

Unclaimed Property Law And Reporting Forms

It may take some time and paperwork, but it costs you nothing to search for unclaimed money.

Do not give any personal or financial information to anyone you have not contacted, including people claiming to be from your Treasury, the IRS or other government organizations.

By following the steps above, you will be able to search for unclaimed money and, if you discover that money is owed to you, get the proper documents and papers you need to prove your identity and claim the money that is rightfully yours.

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