No, I don’t want you to sell your gold, or take out a reverse mortgage.
I guess that it’s not really free money, it just feels like it.
This time of year, and more so with people getting a bit worried about the economy, I know that we’re all checking last year’s winter coats for forgotten coffee change in the pockets. (Or maybe that’s just me?)
This is just as good! It’s money you won, earned, worked your rump off for in the past, but forgot to cash the checks, or refunds that you never received. I’m talking about the unclaimed property and funds that are kept by the US government.
Back in my toy store days, I got paid weekly, and our company ran sales contests where we would win $20-$30. I would keep these checks to cash them all at once, or not rush off to the bank to cash my minimum-wage, part-time, week’s worth of pennies, and forget/lose the checks. By searching: “Unclaimed Funds” plus the state that I live in, I found our state’s database. Within moments I saw that I’ve got about $200 sitting in there, and I WANTS it. The only hoop I have to jump through is that they need a copy of my marriage license, since I have gotten married in the meantime.
The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators is a directory of all the states’ unclaimed property websites. I checked several of them to make sure that it’s an actual directory, and not going to try to redirect you to some place scammy. Let me know if you find something shady.
It’s kinda like playing a game, too, I typed in everyone’s name I could think of, and called my sister-in-law to tell her to collect her money from an old refund. She didn’t give me a finder fee though, darn it.
If you find out that you’ve got money waiting for ya, let me know! I won’t collect a finder fee from you either, I promise.
(This wasn’t a pay-per-post, even though it sort of reads like one. I’m genuinely saying “Go see if you have money waiting for you!!!”)
November 19th, 2008 at 1:59 am
Thank you for sharing this. I found nothing for me, but did find something for my late mother. I thought I had already collected this a few years ago, I guess I was mistaken. I will let you know if it works out. I also found something for my in laws. I will let them handle their own stuff.
November 19th, 2008 at 2:17 am
I did this a few years ago and was shocked to see I had $30 from an old employer. Of course, I had to get the claim notarized and still haven’t done so, but it’s nice to know it’s there!
November 19th, 2008 at 8:09 am
This is where it pays not to have a common name!
but I didn’t expect to. We haven’t been in the US that long.
I didn’t find anything
I did get an unexpected refund from my OB last week though – $125 overpaid from when my son was born 2 1/2 years ago! I was amazed it made it after 2 changes of address.
“Free” money is always nice!
November 19th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
My brother told me about this a few years ago. Yes, my maiden name is on there from an employer I had in college. I really need to just claim it! It is over $100, so that is worth the work to get it. The reason why I never got it was because my check had the wrong address! Go figure. Anyway, thanks for posting this, and the reminder to take care of unfinished business~~ because I will get paid for it!
November 20th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Did you find any for me???? x – I’ll go halfys with ya if you do!