Did you forget this $2,000 check?
Easy next steps.
Once upon a time, I fell on hard times. Not like practically homeless hard times. But like I could really use some breathing room in my budget. I was methodically paying off some consumer debt and just a few hundred dollars would go a long way. The year was 2019, and I was looking up side hustles (a part time gig in and of itself).
In my quest for extra coins, I came across some information I just had to share.
I opened up Facebook and feverishly typed a status update that received jaw dropping replies. They went something like this…
“I got a check from 7 years ago... $600 I never knew about lol..”
“I got a $1,700 check from an old bank account in WV a few years ago.”
“You late shawty 😂.” That one stung.
What were they referring to?
Here’s the deal, each year state governments and treasuries hold onto monies that rightfully belong to people that have yet to claim the property. This could be money that comes from corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships, retailers, manufacturers, financial institutions, governmental agencies, universities, hospitals, utilities, insurance companies, and many others.
Basically, someone somewhere knows they can’t keep your money for themselves, but they also are having a hard time tracking you down (perhaps you moved from the address they have on record).
So instead of absorbing the funds into their bottom line, they attribute it to accounts payable and send it to the appropriate “unclaimed property” holder in either the state they are located in or the state listed within the last address they have recorded for you.
I just need you to step back and realize that a staggering 1 in 7 people have what is called “unclaimed property” just waiting to be released to the rightful owner…that’s you.
So far so good, but how do you claim the money that is so rightfully yours?
Use the official state government websites for unclaimed property to conduct free searches, that’s how. Usually they only ask for a last name and first initial to conduct a rather thorough search. The search results will then produce a list of names and mailing addresses. Look for your match and follow the site’s instructions for how to claim your property. And it’s FREE to search and claim.
Quick tips for your search:
A quick Google search of “unclaimed property” + [any state you have previously resided in] will share the correct government-operated sites that you want
Sometimes your property could be held under a maiden name, so be sure to look up all the names you’ve gone by, in all the states you have lived in.
Sometimes your property is held in places where you have done business, so be sure to look up those addresses too.
If you are asked to share sensitive information, like your social security number, be careful that you are on a secure .gov site. There’s a convenient map here that directs you to the correct site for the state you are conducting your search for.
You can run a search for anyone in or outside of your household, even the deceased
Back to me. What did I end up receiving for my efforts? I claimed a check for $240 that had been mailed to my freshman year dorm address. Unbeknownst to me. And boy could I have used that money 11 YEARS prior. And that was pennies compared to the average held property amount of $2,080.
Good luck with your search and don’t spend it all in one place.
P.S. reply back to this email if this worked out for you. Love a good money win fall.