Missing And Unclaimed Money Or Property: Does The Government Owe You Money?
If you were wondering where to go to find out if you are entitled to any unclaimed money or property, Here is the place to go:
www.naupa.org.
NAUPA is the National Association Of Unclaimed Property Administrators, and is the official body representing state governments that actively find owners while protecting forgotten funds until claimed.
Fast Facts About Unclaimed Property
- Every U.S. state, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands – and Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta in Canada have unclaimed property programs that actively find owners of lost and forgotten assets.
- Unclaimed property laws have been around since at least the 1940s, but have become much broader and more enforced in the last 15 years. Unclaimed property is one of the original consumer protection programs.
- $1.754 billion returned to the rightful owners in Fiscal Year 2006 from 1.929 million accounts
- Total of at least $32.877 billion is currently being safeguarded by state treasurers and other agencies for 117 million accounts.
- Claims can be made into perpetuity in most cases – even by heirs.
Other Sources of help finding unclaimed property can be found at these links:
http://www.naupa.org/other/
http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Money_Owed.shtml
Another good place to try is www.missingmoney.com.
I have personally found funds owed to members of my own family using these sites.