You have a lot to do daily, and some things might get lost in the shuffle. For example, something could get lost in the mail, or someone could forget to go to the doctor. As a result, you may lose track of some of your things. If you don’t claim them within a particular time, they will be considered “unclaimed property” and given to the state.
If you realize you need to claim property that should have been yours, you can make things right. But what exactly is “unclaimed property,” and what can you do if you think the state has something that belongs to you but is in its hands?
What they are and how to find them are called “unclaimed assets.”
When you hear the word “property,” the first thing that comes to mind is real estate. But there are other more common types of unclaimed property. After a certain amount of time has passed in most places, the state can take ownership of unclaimed property. Because of this, it is essential to know the different kinds of unclaimed property and how long they must be “unclaimed” before they can be transferred.
Some examples of unclaimed property are:
- Safe deposit boxes and their contents that may have been left behind.
- Insurance checks and refunds that might not have been cashed
- Payments based on intellectual property that has been abandoned but used to bring in royalties
- possible gaps in payments from an annuity
- Stocks and dividends that haven’t been claimed.
- Funds left at utility companies but not claimed.
- Unclaimed cash or money orders that were not cashed
- Unclaimed trust funds or the money inside them
Almost anything that can be considered to have value can be considered unclaimed goods.
Do you have money that has yet to be claimed?
There are many kinds of unclaimed property. How can you find out if you are owed any unclaimed funds? Most states have databases where you can look for things that may be yours but have yet to be claimed.
Even though the details of data entry vary from one database to the next, you can always expect to be asked for some personal information. Your name, address, and information about your family, among other things. Remember that the more information you can give the state, the easier it will be for it to figure out if you owe it anything.
You can find the proper database for your state in several ways. First, check out the NAUPA (National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators) page to learn more about the appropriate repository. Because there are so many unclaimed assets, not all can be put in one place. Next, check out a few different online sources to ensure you’ve thought of every possibility in your search. Start by looking into areas like insurance databases, tax filings, databases of former employers, and even sources of funding in other countries.
Former Employers that Still Owe You Money
Some of your old employers might still owe you money. Some bosses pay their workers weekly, while others pay them every two weeks. You might be asked to fix something you did a long time ago. If you quit your job without getting a final paycheck, your old boss might owe you money. If your company has the wrong address, your last paycheck might not get to you.
You should still ask your company for the money it owes you. You can use a unique website to find out if your old employer owes you any money. Then it would help if you talked about it with your company. This could include a pension from a job you had in the past.
Any Money Still Owed By Insurance Companies
Even though you’re used to paying your insurance company for coverage, they might owe you money. For example, it may have VA life insurance benefits that you still need to claim. The Federal Housing Administration could also owe you an insurance payment. Other insurance companies may be able to sue you for compensation for a personal injury or car accident. No matter what, you can look at debtor lists to see if any of these businesses owe you money. You should talk to a financial advisor if you need help asking your insurance company for a refund.
Tax refunds
Many people are owed tax refunds every year, but some never bother to get the money because the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has the wrong address. It would help if you went to the IRS website to learn more about this since the IRS is the organization that will handle this process for you. For example, suppose you think the IRS owes you money. In that case, you can check to see if you are eligible for a tax refund or other financial settlement by entering your information into the appropriate fields on this website.
Unclaimed Money In Foreign Countries
Even if you haven’t lived abroad full-time, you could still be owed money from a trip or time spent abroad. Even though it can be hard to get money back from someone in another country, there are tools you can use to help. Of course, how you pay back a foreign debt depends on how much you owe. Still, it will involve navigating the complicated world of international finance and probably involve the U.S. Department of the Treasury. If you think a foreign country owes you money, you should check out the U.S. Treasury Department website.
The first step should always be to check the state database
If you want to find unclaimed money, you can get it from many places. There are many choices, but the state’s official database is the best place to start. By entering a few key pieces of personal information, you might find assets that are rightfully yours but haven’t been claimed. Then, to get it, you’ll have to fill out some paperwork. Remember that people care about you and are there to help you. You can get through this. Consider asking for help from a professional.
