The Today Show ran a segment on unclaimed money and how you can claim yours.
You can read the article by Scott Stump below.
Here are TODAY financial editor Jean Chatzky’s tips on how you can find out if you have any unclaimed funds — and how to file a claim:
- Do a free search on the websites missingmoney.com and unclaimed.org, which are both endorsed by NAUPA. The sites feature collective records from all state-held unclaimed property.
- Check the treasury website for the state you live in and any other ones you have resided in in the past.
- When doing the search, make sure to type in all the places you have lived. Also, if you’re married, make sure to check under your maiden name as well. Using a first initial and your last name is also encouraged to make sure everything comes up.
- It’s up to you if you want to use a third-party service to claim your money, but it’s not required. Each state has its own process, which usually takes three to four months and requires information like your social security number and more. If you choose to use a locator business to claim your money in order to avoid doing the paperwork yourself, don’t pay up front. Also, don’t pay the company more than 10 percent or 20 percent of the amount of money you are claiming.
- Search IRS.gov for any possible refund money from the Internal Revenue Service because undeliverable mail is often an issue for the IRS.
- In a search for any unclaimed pension money, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. has a searchable database to find an unclaimed pension.
- Treasuryhunt.gov will help you search for any unclaimed savings bonds and payments.
- For any potentially unclaimed life insurance claims or payments, check your individual insurer’s website.
You can also check out http://unclaimed-funds.org/free-search/ for more options.
Any missing money I have.