Have you searched for Unclaimed Property lately?

[nidena]

For your name, your former name, or the names of those who've recently passed.

Almost every person I looked up had something.  Though, some were $.09 so I didn't bother sending the friend a message about her T-Mobile credit.

[ken a.k.a OMK]

Many years ago we got about $200 owed my mother from an old insurance overpayment. The account was closed and she moved. It happened after the forwarding mail expired.

[taz157]

Yes for me and my DH.  There's nothing in my name, but there is for my DH.

I'm in charge of remitting the information to the various states for the company I work for.  It's a PITA to be honest.  Each state is different and depending on what it is, the time frame is different too.  Also the deadlines to remit the reports are different too.  Several states are similar, but not all the states we have stale dated checks for.

[minnesotapaintlady]

My ex has money from a utility company or something. We tried getting it years ago, but were never able to get them the info they needed (proof that he lived at a certain address that he was only at for like a year when in college), so we just gave up. If I remember right it didn't list the dollar amount, so we had no clue if we were busting our ass for $2.

[Artemis Windsong]

I haven't checked in a while.

[jerseygirl]

Check for us and family when I see this
Only once, daughter had moved and left maybe $20 in a bank account
But there are so very many names!!

[Regis]

I have $66.25 unclaimed as the owner of a previous business.  I looked into claiming it and realized the value of my time to do so was worth more than $66.25.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the reminder. Nothing in my name but that's not surprising- I'm VERY diligent about cashing checks I receive and closing down inactive brokerage accounts.

A few years ago DS got about $1,000 from my Ex's accounts. It was a real PITA because the state of NJ kept asking for proof that the estate was probated even though we replied at the outset that there were no estate proceedings. (He was living off the dole and likely died with debts.) DS eventually filed an Affidavit of Small Estate (we found out about that through research, not from NJ) and got the money back. A friend once found that there was money in DS' name- a paycheck he hadn't cashed. He's married now with 3 kids- that won't happen again (and I suspect it's all direct deposit).

This is an interesting topic- I listened to a Planet Money podcast on it. Taz is right- laws are all over the place. Some states classify stuff left at a business (umbrellas, eyeglasses) as unclaimed property. One sad story- a guy opened a Fidelity account, bought Apple Stock and then didn't touch the account for so many years that it went to the state. Given Apple's stratospheric rise he figured it was worth tens of thousands of $$. When it was turned over to the state, however, they liquidated it. It makes sense- the state is not in the position of deciding whether to buy, sell or hold. I don't remember if he got anything back.

[tractor]

When my grandmother passed we found @$200 in one of those lost accounts. To claim it required my mom to get all of her sisters to sign off on it as there was no will. In the end, it was easier to just leave it there than it was to try and get everyone to agree.

[Cookies Galore]

I got $275 early last year from the PA Treasury. Just had to fill out a form and I was good to go. Got a check within a couple of months or so of submitting the claim.

[tallguy]

I filed a claim six months ago for two items.  That was after getting two others a few years ago.  Couple of hundred dollars total.  Interestingly, they had my name and address, but I never had a relationship with those institutions.  

[mollyanna58]

I look occasionally, and will put in friend's and client's names.  I found my nephew on there yesterday.  His mom has been on there for a while.

[NancysSummerSip]

Yes. A former employer owed me money due to incorrect tax filing. It was a few hundred dollars.  I have not checked recently, but now that you mention it, I will.

[Bonny]

Thanks for the reminder. I checked for me and my deceased parents. Found something for my Dad for $158. A lot of paperwork to fill out!

[susana1954]

I checked last week for DH and found something.  It wasn't so much that there was a lot of paperwork, but it was awkward paperwork.  By that I mean, it was a notarized claim form, a notarized form that DH was deceased, a certified copy of his death certificate, and something that proved he lived at the address in question.  This was before he married me and moved here so finding the "proof" of address was the hardest part.  

The site didn't say how much (sometimes they say more than $50 or less than $50).  I figure it won't be worth the effort, but I did it.

[garion2003]

I checked last year when my dad passed. Found nothing for him or my mother, but did find something from when I was in grad school over a decade ago. It was under $40 but i put in a claim and received a check. 

[qofcc]

yep, found a life insurance policy + stock fund for my grandmother's sister they paid out at age of 100 even though she had died >30 years ago and they sent it to an address that no longer existed - house was torn down - so it ended up in unclaimed funds. I've been working on this for over a year getting all of the documents to be named voluntary administrator for her estate but needed birth & death certificates and original wills for other relatives to prove the chain of inheritance. Her lawyer's office was not interested in digging through boxes of papers from the 1960's until the court told them they had to. Court clerk has been so helpful. Been waiting months for the last birth certificate copy I need from NYS then Court says they'll give me everything i need and state should be sending me a check for around $10K!

[vetswife]

I found a utility deposit in my late DH's name and was able to get it after filling out the appropriate paperwork.