Do you know about your unclaimed payments: Unclaimed money or property refers to people who owe money or property to organizations like businesses, banks, or the government but did not take it.
State governments typically hold such funds from sources like bank accounts, insurance policies, or state agencies. People or legal heirs can file claims for them.
There are reputable websites like Unclaimed.org and MissingMoney.com that people can use to search for unclaimed money in their state’s unclaimed property office as well as those of past homes.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of financial problems. According to the National Association of lost Property Administrators (NAUPA), 10% of Americans may have lost property.
Do you know about your unclaimed payments: How to look for money that you’ve lost
In some cases, bankers or financial institutions have forgotten about these things and have given them to the state.
Uncashed checks, forgotten accounts, stocks, security deposits, unredeemed gift cards, and IRS tax returns are all common sources.
NAUPA gives advice on how to look for lost money, telling people to use both their current name and their birth name and to look in more than one state if they have moved.
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To claim unclaimed money, you need to show proof of name, like a driver’s license or passport, and proof of ownership, like pay stubs or utility bills. Each state has its own way of claiming, and the time it takes to do so varies.
Additionally, people may find money they forgot they had, like credit card rewards or the amounts of money transfer apps.
You can save money by using cash-back credit card perks or travel credit card points for things that aren’t travel.
Money transfer apps like Venmo and PayPal may also have amounts that you haven’t used that you can move to a bank account. Gift cards that haven’t been used can also be traded for cash on sites like Cardpool.com.
In order to ease financial burdens, people should search online for lost money and use their other assets.