If a company, government office, or other entity owes you money and you do not collect it, it is considered unclaimed. Cash, checks, money orders, security deposits, and the contents of safe deposit boxes are all examples of things that can be unclaimed. The federal government does not have a centralized website for locating unclaimed funds. But you don’t have to hire a company to help you find unclaimed money. You can find it on your own, for free, by searching official databases. Here is how you can find your unclaimed money
How Do You Find Money if It Is Lost?
Many rely heavily on unexpected resources like forgotten savings accounts or lost paychecks. Lucky for you, there are websites you can trust to help you find these cash windfalls.
To begin, go to NAUPA’s Unclaimed.org website, a national network collecting records from all 50 states. Because these are all vetted government resources, you must use NAUPA-provided websites rather than a general search engine.
You will be taken to its official website when you click on a state. If you legally changed your last name, search for your unclaimed money using your current and maiden names. You might also try different search terms, such as your first initial and full last name.
Unclaimed property is reported to the state where the company or organization is located. If you’ve moved, losing money in more than one state is common. NAUPA recommends MissingMoney.com, a free website, for searching multiple states at once. Check every state where you have lived or done business.
When it comes to claiming your lost money, each state has its procedure, but it should be fairly simple. You must be prepared to show proof of ownership of whatever you claim, such as a pay stub, utility bill, or Social Security number. You will also need to provide proof of your identities, such as a copy of your driver’s license or passport. The NAUPA website says that processing times vary by state but that some states can finish in less than 30 days.
Other Government Websites With Searchable Databases Include:
- IRS website for undeliverable tax refunds
- The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation for unclaimed pension funds
- The United States Treasury is looking for unclaimed savings bonds, registered Treasury notes, or registered Treasury bonds.
“When the IRS sends a refund check to an incorrect address, the postal service returns it to sender,” Ruhle explained. “It will be your responsibility to follow up on your refund.”
This is common when people relocate but fail to update their address with the IRS. The good news is that you can easily check this by going to www.irs.gov/refunds and clicking on “get refund status.” Ruhle says you’ll be asked for your social security number, filing status, and the refund amount you never got.
Aside from unclaimed tax refunds, there are other places to look for hidden money in your name. “If your employer violated labor laws, you might be owed unpaid wages,” Ruhle said. “Maybe the Labor Department was able to get them for you.” The agency will then try their best to track you down and give you fair warning, but if they are unsuccessful, they have the right to withhold your payment for up to three years. “it was her words that were being emphasized.” “Conduct a “WOW search” to see if you are owed any unpaid wages. “WOW” stands for Workers’ Owed Wages. These can be found on the Department of Labor’s website.”
Where Do People Hide Their Money?
Having some cash at home can come in handy in an emergency. Most banks have a withdrawal limit, so you can’t always access your money when needed. Fortunately, there are several non-obvious places around the house where you can safely hide money for easy access in times of need.
#1. The Pantry
Examine every cereal box, flour bag, and a coffee can. Pour out the contents if necessary to see what’s at the bottom.
#2. The Bookshelves
It would help if you looked for hollowed-out Bibles and dictionaries that you can buy online. But it would help if you also shook every book on the shelf. Everything from $100 bills to dividend checks is hidden between the pages.
#3. The Tank
There is plenty of room in the toilet’s water tank for a jar or other watertight container with cash or jewelry. While you’re at it, check to see if anything is taped to the inside of the lid.
#4. The Fridge
Cold, hard cash is more than a cliche. For many seniors, it is a way of life. People have found credit cards, gold coins, and plastic zipper bags full of cash in ice trays.
#5: Below the Floorboards
This is a common location for valuables to be hidden, especially in older homes. Check for sagging boards under area rugs, new nails that don’t quite fit, and frayed corners of wall-to-wall carpeting.
#6. Vintage Suitcases
We discovered several vintage suitcases filled with cash. During World War II, steamer trunks were very popular. They had special places for wives to store things for their husbands who were fighting overseas. Under the lining, look for a false bottom.
#7. Closets
It would be best if you went through all of the clothing and boxes. People have found hundreds of thousands of dollars in shoeboxes, cigar boxes, and the pockets and linings of old jackets.
Bureaus We have found cash or other valuables in envelopes taped to the bottom or back of almost every piece of furniture, but chests of drawers are a great place to hide things. Every decent dressing table for women needs a secret drawer for stowing away cash or jewelry.
#8. The Backyard
Yes, people still bury canning jars filled with rolled-up $20 bills in their yards. Finding them may be difficult if they’ve been there long, but a metal detector should pick up the lid if they’re not too deeply buried.
How Do I Locate Unclaimed Money in Australia?
Finding unclaimed funds is simple. Use ASIC’s Moneysmart website and look for unclaimed money. If the name you’re looking for has unclaimed money, you’ll see information on how to file a claim.
If a private money search company approaches you and offers to find the money for you for a fee, remember that you can search for unclaimed money for free on the Moneysmart website.
Other Places to Look For Lost Money Include:
- These government websites have other ways to track and claim lost superannuation, state funds, and wages:
- Register for the Australian Taxation Office’s online services on myGov to find lost superannuation.
- State government – Find lost money from deceased estates, lost share dividends, salaries and wages, cheques, overpayments, sale proceeds, and more.
- Services Australia – Ensure your bank account information is up to date to receive the Medicare benefits to which you are entitled.
How Do I Find Out if I Have Unclaimed Money in Pennsylvania?
It’s not difficult to find out if you are one of the people who have unclaimed property just waiting for you to claim it. You must go to the website and use the search tool to enter your name and information.
If you click “search properties,” you can quickly determine if you have unclaimed property. If you discover that you have unclaimed property, you must fill out some forms and send them to the Bureau of Unclaimed Property in Harrisburg to begin recovery.
There is also a customer service number (800-222-2046) for those who require assistance or have questions about the process. And, once again, there’s a lot of unclaimed property out there, so if you think your name isn’t on the list, you might be surprised.
“One of my top priorities is returning the nearly $4 billion in unclaimed property to its rightful owners,” Garrity said when the site was upgraded last January. These upgrades streamline the process by making it user-friendly and eliminating red tape. “I encourage every Pennsylvanian to take advantage of these changes and look for unclaimed property that may be owed to them or their family.”
How Can I Find Out if I Have Unclaimed Money in California?
In California, the state must try as hard as possible to get in touch with you and let you know about your missing money. However, sometimes these attempts are in vain.
“Contact is often lost when the account holder moves and doesn’t leave a forwarding address or forgets the account exists.” According to the California State Controller’s Office, “in some cases, the owner dies, leaving heirs who do not know the property.”
If the state fails, you must determine whether you have a property that needs to be claimed. Californians can look up unclaimed property on the Controller’s Office website. There are detailed instructions on filing a claim and what you must do to prove your identity.
You can use an endoscope to find hidden money in the walls, but it would require holes to be drilled in the walls to allow the camera to see behind the lining and refill them afterward. Another option is to scan the wall with a metal detector, which will give signals for nails or screws unless it can be set only to detect precious metals or specific metals. As they say, there is no gain without pain, but you could give yourself some minor work if nothing but could come up with trumps if something valuable is hidden behind. You have the final say.
Conclusion
Before you can find your unclaimed money, you may have to answer a series of questions about your financial history. The number of hoops you must sometimes jump through is determined by the amount of unclaimed cash you attempt to collect. It’s much more challenging to find unclaimed money in databases you’ve never heard of than it is to dig coins out from under couch cushions, but the reward could be substantial.
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