New York is holding over $14 billion in unclaimed money!
There are many types of funds that go unclaimed including:
- Utility deposits
- Savings accounts
- Checking accounts
- Certificates of deposit
- Stocks and Bonds
- Mutual funds
- Court funds
- Dividends
- Insurance benefits and policies
- Estate proceeds
and many more.
The list of reason why funds become unclaimed is almost limitless, including:
- Moving and forgetting that you put a deposit down for your utilities
- Forgetting about a savings or checking account
- Not knowing about an insurance payment
- Leaving a job and not collecting a final paycheck
- Leaving a job without collecting retirement funds
- Not knowing about a court payment
and many, many more reasons.
New York State allows you to search for unclaimed funds that may be owed to you or someone you know.
Check out this video from the New York State Controllers office to learn more about unclaimed money being held and how you can claim your share.
Click here to search for unclaimed money in New York State
If you are successful in your search and you do find unclaimed money, there are several steps you need to take to claim it.
You can enter your claim either in the mail or online. If you do it online, you just need to choose the item you are claiming and follow the step by step instructions.
If you are going to mail in your claim information, you will need to fill out the information online, print out the form, and sign and have it notarized.
You them mail the form to:
Office of the State Comptroller
Office of Unclaimed Funds
110 State Street
Albany, New York 12236
You will need to provide proper documentation along with your claim form. This includes proof or ownership and proof of address.
Proof of ownership includes:
- Bank books
- Bank statements
- Certificates showing stocks and/or bonds
- Uncashed checks
- Money orders
- Gift Certificates
- Insurance policies
Proof of address includes:
- Drivers license
- Birth Certificate
- Marriage Certificate
- Utility bills
- Passport
- W-2 forms
- Postmarked envelope
New York State does not charge any fee return your unclaimed money. If you process your claim online the time frame to receive your check is about two weeks. If you submit it by mail, the time frame is about four to six weeks. Estates claims can take longer because of the additional required documentation.
If you have any questions you can contact the Office of Unclaimed Funds at 1-800-221-9311 and by email at NYSOUF@osc.state.ny.us
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.
where is my money
worked at ARARO PLASTIC
Thanks for your help,
looking for unclaimed funds
Have you used the resources on the site?
Also, if you go here and enter your name,
https://www.osc.state.ny.us/ouf/index.htm
you will see that there are three properties listed for a Benjamin Marcial West Babylon.
Good luck!
During the 1980’s I worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield and my money was deposited into Manufacturer Hanover Trust Bank on 44th Street and Lexington Avenue in New York, New York. However, since 1989 I am unable to receive my monies that was deposited into that bank. Please help me to locate my missing money.
Just checking to see if there’s anything for me. Its always good to know if there’s anything out there for you, so I’m searching,
I’m trying to find the money my grandpa left me I can’t find it can u tell me where I can find it or where i can look he passed away with out tell me were to look
i filed this A.M. and it indicated that my data was incorrect…. what data was incorrect…what was ‘incorrect’ about the data i submitted. I was a master programmer for Lockheed-Martin for 15 years and I know a little bit about how to establish ‘correctness’ in establishing/building an audit trail for user’s data entry. I look forward to your accurate response to my problem even if it means that you have to reprogram significant portions of your system. Hopefully, you will hire competent programmers to perform the task, not the incompetent ones who built your first incomplete system….
Ummm…it appears you’re not commenting on the correct site.
Thanks so much for this. You are kind and wonderful for helping people!
looking for my lost unclaimed money
Last year I was informed by my sister, residing in TX, that mother has Dementia. Long story made short, as POA, Health Proxy & Executor (burden place by my three siblings who feel it is MY duty) I have statements from financial institution showing funds, though they are varying in time length -some twenty years, these banks have been merged or left the state (NY), or God knows.
Mother needs to be placed in Assisted Living and in the future Full Nursing Facility. Where does one find what happened to her funds when these banks vanished, for lack of a better term.
The Federal Government can find ‘everything’ if Medicaid is applied for and in the process delay process. It’s just the truth.
F Dan,
First off, did you check with the states unclaimed money departments? If not, I would start there, not just New York, but any state where the bank may have been incorporated. Also, if you’re sure the government can find it you’ll have to weigh the amount against your mothers care. If it’s worth it to take a chance on losing the funds against her getting the care sooner, then that is a decision you will have to make.
Suzanne,
Have you spoken to the state regarding what they are asking for?
Do you know of a lawyer that may have handled her estate? If so, they would most likely have everything you need.
I just helped an heir get money back and we had to go through the probate court. It’s possible that the probate court in the county that she lived may have information. Please let me know what they’re looking for besides the death certificate, proof of residency, and an executor.
Hi,
I recently discovered that a great aunt, Louise Marock, had unclaimed funds in NYS. She died in 1985 her only heir and executor, George Buchanan died in 2001, his wife and my mother died in 2003. How can I claim these funds? State is asking for things that seem to be unattainable??????
Reginald,
Sorry for your loss.
I did see two listings under that name in New York at two different addresses, one in Freeport and one in Hempstead.
I did not see anything in Missouri.
Go to http://www.osc.state.ny.us/ouf/index.htm and enter the information.
You will be able to print up a claim form and send it in. The State will tell you the additional information you need to claim it. New York does not list the dollar amounts. You will not know how much it is until they are almost ready to send payment.
Good luck!
Trying to find all my dads missing money recently deceased his name is Roosevelt Carolina From New York resided in Missouri his last years