Mississippi is holding over $31 million in unclaimed money!  

The Office of the State Treasurer is responsible for the administration of the Unclaimed Property Act.

The law requires that “holders” such as banks, credit unions, insurance companies, retail stores, utility companies, and business associations turn over to the Office of the State Treasurer any assets such as money, cash, checks or stocks that have been abandoned for which there has been no contact for a period of five years.

The Unclaimed Property Division is charged with trying to locate the rightful owners of such assets.


The following Frequently Asked Questions are from the Mississippi unclaimed money site:

WHERE DO I MAIL MY CLAIM FORM?
Office of the State Treasurer
Unclaimed Property Division
1101 Woolfolk Building
501 North West Street
Jackson, MS 39201
P. O. Box 138
Jackson, MS 39205

DOES UNCLAIMED PROPERTY MEAN YOU HAVE THINGS LIKE HOUSES,CARS AND BOATS?
NO, Unclaimed Property is money or stock, not land or houses. Land records are kept at the County Courthouses.

I HAVE LIVED IN THE STATES OTHER THAN MISSISSIPPI. COULD I HAVE PROPERTY IN THOSE STATES AS WELL?
YES, go to www.unclaimed-funds.org to check for Unclaimed Property in other states.

THERE IS PROPERTY BEING HELD FOR A FAMILY MEMBER OF MINE THAT HAS DIED. CAN I CLAIM IT?
YES, each legal heir can file a claim and we split the money/stock according to the filed Will or Obituary.

WHY WAS MY MONEY TURNED OVER TO THE STATE?
It is the law to turn over dormant or unclaimed money or stock after 5 years to the State Treasurer.

WHY DO I HAVE TO SEND IN A COPY OF MY IDENTIFICATION AND SOCIAL SECURITY CARD TO PROVE MY CLAIM?
This is needed to verify that we are paying the correct person. A lot of people use the same name.

WHAT IF I CANNOT PROVIDE PROOF OF OWNERSHIP TO THE PROPERTY?
Proof of ownership is usually established by address or social security verification. Sometimes, the claimant is not able to verify that he or she lived at the last known address that was reported. In these cases, we will do everything we can to assist you in establishing ownership. If we are not successful in finding a connection to an old address, you may be asked to do further research. In most instances, claims of this nature are reviewed on a case by case basis.

HOW DO I OBTAIN OR PROVIDE PROOF OF A PREVIOUS ADDRESS?
A copy of an old bill (ex. utility bill), copy of an old tax return, school records, birth or death certificates or credit reports will suffice. Anything that officially lists your previous address is sufficient. If you can’t submit proof of address, write a simple note explaining this was a house or apartment that you or someone else owned or rented during what approximate period of time. We will research this information and attempt to match the address for you, ut we can’t promise payment without it.

I AM THE PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN OF A MINOR WHO IS LISTED AS THE OWNER. WHAT DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED?
Send in a copy of your driver’s license and social security card as well as the birth certificate or driver’s license and social security card of the minor, also include all
adoption or guardianship papers from the court.

I HAVE POWER OF ATTORNEY (POA) FOR A PERSON LISTED AS THE OWNER. WHAT DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED?
Send in a copy of the owner’s driver’s license and social security card, as well as a copy of the POA’s driver’s license, social security card and Power of Attorney document.

WHAT IF THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE PROPERTY IS DECEASED?
The regular documentation plus a copy of the owner’s death certificate along with a copy of the filed Will and Probate Orders. If no Will was left, send a copy of the obituary from the paper or the funeral program listing the heirs. If no Will was left and no obituary was printed in the paper, the heir can complete Affidavit of Death and Heirship for consideration.

WHERE CAN I OBTAIN A DEATH CERTIFICATE?
If the person passed away in Mississippi you will need to contact the Mississippi Department of Health at 601-576-7981or at www.msdh.state.ms.us.

HOW DO I GET A FEDERAL EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (FEIN) FOR AN ESTATE?
You will need to contact the IRS at 1-800-829-4933.

WHAT IF THE DECEASED OWNER DIED WITHOUT A WILL?
If the owner did not have a will we will need a copy of the obituary to do
cument how many heirs there may have been.

WHY DO I NEED AN OBITUARY WHEN CLAIMING FOR A DECEASED PERSON?
The obituary usually lists surviving heirs. This helps in determining your eligibility
to claim.

WHY DOES EACH HEIR NEED TO CLAIM THEIR SHARE IN DIVIDUALLY?
The State of Mississippiis bound by law to distribute funds based on the intentions of the will or according to heirship. This means that we cannot pay one heir the entire amount and allow them to distribute the property amongst the other heirs.

DOES EACH HEIR NEED TO SUBMIT ALL OF THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS?
No. As long as one heir submits the death certificate and will or obituary, the others do not need to submit these documents. Each heir will be required to provide their birth certificate, driver’s license, proof of social security number, and proof of current address along with their claim form.

CAN I FAX THE CLAIM FORM?
No. We do not accept faxed or emailed claim forms.

I HAVE ALL MY PAPERWORK READY. CAN I COME IN THE UNCLAIMED PROPERTY OFFICE AND PICK UP A CHECK?
You cannot pick up a check from our office.

AFTER I FILE A CLAIM, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RECEIVE MY FUNDS?                       Depending on our current volume and the complexity of your claim it will take approximately 4-6 weeks to process your claim once we have received all the required documentation. The period may be extended if all of the required documentation is not included with the original claim package. Claims with stock securities may take longer.

I RECEIVED A CLAIM FORM FROM YOUR OFFICE. WHY CAN’T I FIND MY NAME ON YOUR DATABASE?
Once you have submitted your claim online or through the mail, it is imported into our system for processing. At that point, it is taken off of the listing while your claim is evaluated.

I’VE MOVED SINCE I SENT MY CLAIM IN, WHAT DO I DO?
To request a change of address, or if you believe your check may have been lost in the mail, please have your claim number ready and call our office at (601)359-3534.

I RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM A CLAIM FINDER THAT SAID THEY COULD HELP ME GET MY PROPERTY FOR A FEE. SHOULD I USE THEM TO HELP ME FILE A CLAIM?
A claimant may file a claim without the assistance of a paid Finder. Finders may charge up to 10% maximum for their services.

Click here to search for Mississippi unclaimed money.

Did you know you can make money finding unclaimed money for other people?

There is a little known business that lets you do that. Unclaimed money finders locate people that don’t know they money being held for them and help them to recover it.

In return, they charge a commission after the money is recovered.

Please click here if you would like to learn more about becoming a Mississippi unclaimed money finder.

Minnesota is holding over $700 million in unclaimed funds!

What are unclaimed funds?

Funds are considered unclaimed if the owner has not provided evidence of any interest or control over the funds for a number of years. Here’s a brief list of common types of unclaimed funds:

•Dormant bank accounts
•Un-cashed checks
•Unclaimed wages
•Safe deposit boxes
•Insurance dividends, etc.
Holders of unclaimed funds, usually banks, insurance companies, corporations, etc. are required by law to attempt to contact the owner of the funds when it appears that the owner has abandoned the item.

If the owner fails to respond, the funds are deemed abandoned and the holder must include the funds in the annual unclaimed funds report to the Department of Commerce.


The state acts as a custodian for the funds while continuously attempting to find the owners of the unclaimed funds. The monetary items are held in the state’s general fund until claims are made.

The tangible property from safe deposit boxes is held at the Minnesota Department of Commerce.

If this property is left unclaimed, the items are then made available for auction every 10 years.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce Unclaimed Property Program uses missingmoney.com to list all owners’ names in a searchable format.

Click here to search for unclaimed money in Minnesota.

To start the claims process, enter your name and location in the search bar.  If you are searching for a business, place the business name in the “Last Name” field.

When using Missing Money to claim property, one of the following options may appear to initiate the claim:

• User Print:  This option allows you to print the claim form.
• Print & Mail:  This option allows the Unclaimed Property Program to print the claim form and mail it to the address you provide.

Here is the contact information for Minnesota:

Mailing Address  

Minnesota Department Commerce
85 7th Place East, Suite 500
St. Paul, MN 55101

Phone and Fax

Phone: 651-539-1500
Fax: 651-539-1547

Email Address

General Information: general.commerce@state.mn.us

If you do not hear from them after 90 days from filing a claim, call them at 651-539-1545.

Did you know you can make money finding unclaimed money for other people?

There is a little known business that lets you do that. Unclaimed money finders locate people that don’t know they money being held for them and help them to recover it.

In return, they charge a commission after the money is recovered.

Please click here if you would like to learn more about becoming a Minnesota unclaimed money finder.

Michigan is holding millions of dollars in unclaimed money!

Under the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, Michigan insurance companies, banks, businesses, local units of government, and other entities are required to turn over abandoned or unclaimed property to the State of Michigan each year.

The Unclaimed Property Division then works to reunite properties like uncashed checks, bank accounts, stock certificates, insurance claim payments, and other assets, with their rightful owners.

In recent years, the number of paid claims has nearly doubled, to 36,800 in Fiscal Year 2005. As a result, $35 million was returned to individuals last year alone (see table).

	FY02	FY03	FY04	FY05
Claims Paid by UPD	21,100	30,800	35,600	36,800
Amounts Paid	$27.1 mil	$30.3 mil	$34.7 mil	$34.8 mil

Below you will find all of the frequently asked questions from the Michigan unclaimed money site:

Click here to search for Michigan unclaimed money

Who administers the law?

Answer:

The Michigan State Treasurer is the administrator of the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act and acts as custodian of the unclaimed money on behalf of the owner.

Why does Michigan have an Unclaimed Property Law?

Answer:

Michigan’s Uniform Unclaimed Property Act protects unclaimed property and returns it to its rightful owners or their heirs. The State Treasurer takes custody of the property so the owner may claim it, even if the original holder (like a financial institution) is no longer in business. The law also centralizes the search for lost property. Michigan citizens trying to locate forgotten bank accounts and other property need to look in only one place: the Unclaimed Property Division of the Michigan Department of Treasury.

Does the State simply go in and take the money?

No. Michigan Unclaimed money is turned over to the State Treasurer, after the following have occurred.

1.  There has been no owner-generated activity in the account for a specific amount of time (usually five years).

2.  Attempts to contact the owner have failed.  If these attempts are unsuccessful, the money is turned over to the State Treasurer where the owner or the owner’s heirs may claim it.

Does a customer have to go to the bank or other business every year to keep the account from becoming dormant?

Answer:

No. A customer may write or telephone the holder, in most cases, every five years to keep the account from being reported to the state as a dormant account. The holder must maintain records that show how it tracks communications from the customer.

Why do companies, banks and financial institutions have to turn over unclaimed funds to the State Treasurer?

Answer:

Holders are required to report and remit accounts or other property that belong to owners who cannot be located, or for whom there is no known address.

The Michigan Uniform Unclaimed Property Act protects accounts belonging to owners whose whereabouts is unknown. Companies, banks and other financial institutions identify accounts for which there has not been any owner-generated activity during the applicable dormancy period and the owner has not responded to mail or telephone inquiries.

If the owner does not respond or contact the holder within five years, and does not respond to the due diligence notice sent by the holder, the account must be turned over to the State Treasurer. The Unclaimed Property Division publishes an advertisement twice per year in newspapers directing those who suspect they may have unclaimed property to the Treasury Web site. The account is held by the state until the owner or the owner’s heir are located and the funds are claimed.

If an owner just lets his or her account “sit” and accumulate interest or dividends, is it considered active?

Answer:

No. If interest or dividends are automatically deposited into an account, it is not considered active because there is no customer contact or customer activity. However, if an owner endorses an interest check and deposits the check, this is considered owner-generated activity. There are many ways to keep an account active including customer contact by mail or telephone (when documented by the holder). In addition, a financial institution or company may cross-reference an inactive account with an active account having the same owner.

Must a claimant pay a fee to get his or her money back?

Answer:

No. This is a public service provided by the State of Michigan.

What should a person do if his or her name appears on a list of unclaimed property?

Answer:

Call or write the Unclaimed Property Division, Michigan Department of Treasury

Can a holder reimburse a customer or reactivate a customer’s account?

Answer:

A bank or any other company may reimburse a customer or reactivate an account even though the money has already been sent to the State Treasurer. If a holder chooses to reinstate an account, the holder may file a substantiated claim with the Unclaimed Property Division and be reimbursed for the funds.

Will the State return an owner’s money after it has been remitted?

Answer:

Yes. Unclaimed property always belongs to the rightful owner. The State Treasurer acts only as a custodian of the funds. No time limit is set for claiming these funds and the State Treasurer never charges an owner or heir for returning the funds.

Are holders obligated to report and remit unclaimed property to other states?

Answer:

Yes. The Supreme Court ruling in Texas vs. New Jersey dictates that unclaimed property must be reported and remitted to the state of the owner’s last known address. If the state does not have an applicable law regarding the property, the property must be sent to the holder’s state of incorporation.

What happens to money that is never claimed by the owner?

Answer:

Owners or heirs can always claim their property. There is no time limit for making a claim to the State Treasurer. While the State Treasurer often is successful in reuniting people with their money, many owners are never located. The money that is never claimed is transferred into the general fund for the benefit of all Michigan citizens.

Should an owner hire a Michigan unclaimed money finder?

Answer:

We encourage owners to contact the Michigan Unclaimed Money Division directly to search for funds before signing a contract with a  Michigan unclaimed money finder. The Unclaimed Property Division will refund only to the owner or their heirs, not the Michigan unclaimed money finder.

Regarding Michigan unclaimed money finders, what happens if I have unclaimed money being held for me but do not know about it?

Well, you will never get your money because there are millions of people owed money and our staff is only a handful of people.  We can only contact so many people in a day and we really do not have any incentive to contact you at all.  We get paid whether you get your money or not. So, if you do not know if money if being held in your name, you better hope a Michigan unclaimed money finder contacts you to let you know.

How do I contact the Michigan Unclaimed Money Division?

Answer: Mailing Address: Unclaimed Property Division Michigan Department of Treasury PO Box 30756 Lansing, MI 48909

Telephone:  (517) 636-5320 Fax:   (517) 322-5986

Did you know you can make money finding unclaimed money for other people?

There is a little known business that lets you do that. Unclaimed money finders locate people that don’t know they money being held for them and help them to recover it.

In return, they charge a commission after the money is recovered.

Please click here if you would like to learn more about this business