When a business owes you money but can’t send it to you, they may turn it over to the state. But you can file a claim and get your missing money back!
Find out if you have missing money!
It's More Money March – here's a tip you may not know about!
Did you know that you may have unclaimed money that's owed to you … and not even know it?! 😱 Whenever a business owes you money but can’t send it to you for various reasons (change of address, phone number, etc), they often turn it over to the state. Each state holds onto that money and keeps a detailed list of whom it belongs to.
If some of it’s yours, you can file a claim to get it back into your pocket ~ and we'll show you how!
A few years ago, my friend Mary visited the Missing Money Site and saw that she was owed almost $100 – so it's definitely worth checking out! And she did in fact get a check in the mail!
AND, she just went and checked the site again and found that she had over $235 of unclaimed funds from when she was in college back in 2005! So if you've received money before, it's worth checking again!
Here's how to get started:
1. Search Your State Website – Using the Missing Money search page, enter your last name and state. find your state, and click on the link to go to its unclaimed property website.
2. Verify Your Identity – If you’ve found missing money in your name and want to claim it, you’ll need to verify your identity. The requirements may vary by state, but here are some of the documents you may need.
- A state-issued ID (ie – driver’s license)
- Proof of Social Security number (ie – copy of your Social Security card or IRS Form W-2)
- Proof of the address associated with the property you’re claiming (ie utility bill)
- Proof of your current address
- These documents help verify your full name and address to confirm you’re the rightful owner of the missing money. Some states will accept copies of documentation, while other states will require originals.
3. File Your Claim – Once you’ve gone to the right website and have your documents ready, you can file a claim. Be sure to carefully read the claim instructions on your state-specific site (see links below). Some states don’t allow for electronic submissions, while some allow you to file online if you meet certain conditions.
4. Wait for your check – Once you’ve found missing money and submitted your documentation either online or by snail mail, you must wait for your check to arrive. It can take two weeks from the date you filed your claim, or more than six months in some cases. You can track the progress of your claim on your state's website.
Here are the state websites & how to submit claim-
Alabama
Mail claim form
Alaska
Accepts online claims
Arizona
Mail claim form
California
Accepts some online claims
Colorado
Mail claim form
Connecticut
Mail claim form
Delaware
Accepts online claims
Florida
Mail claim form
Georgia
Accepts online claims
Hawaii
Mail claim form
Idaho
Accepts online claims
Illinois
Mail claim form
Indiana
Mail claim form
Iowa
Accepts online claims
Kansas
Mail claim form
Kentucky
Mail claim form
Louisiana
Mail claim form
Maine
Mail claim form
Maryland
Mail claim form
Massachusetts
Mail claim form
Michigan
Mail claim form
Minnesota
Accepts online claims
Mississippi
Mail claim form
Missouri
Accepts online claims
Montana
Accepts online claims
Nebraska
Accepts some online claims
Nevada
Mail claim form
New Hampshire
Mail claim form
New Jersey
Accepts online claims
New Mexico
Mail claim form
New York
Accepts online claims
North Carolina
Mail claim form
North Dakota
Mail claim form
Ohio
Mail claim form
Oklahoma
Mail claim form
Oregon
Mail claim form
Pennsylvania
Mail claim form
Rhode Island
Accepts online claims
South Carolina
Mail claim form
South Dakota
Accepts online claims
Tennessee
Mail claim form
Texas
Mail claim form
Utah
Mail claim form
Vermont
Mail claim form
Virginia
Mail claim form
Washington
Accepts online claims
Washington, D.C.
Mail claim form
West Virginia
Accepts online claims
Wisconsin
Mail claim form
Wyoming
Mail claim form
Note that there may be a finder's fee paid to the person helping receive unclaimed property. From what I can tell, this should be no more than 5% of the total amount of your missing money, but it will vary.
Other ways to see if you have missing money:
- Search the Workers Owed Wages site for employers who've had unpaid wages. I thought this was fascinating! Go HERE if you think you've worked for a company that's missed paying you wages.
- Visit Unclaimed.org or MissingMoney.com to see if your name pops up in their database. In most states you can search directly there, but some states require you to search from the state's missing money site. If your state isn't participating, Missing Money will re-direct you to your state's website.
Do you have any missing money? Leave a comment to share what you've found! We would love to hear some success stories and can't wait to hear if it's worked for you!
Thanks! I found my husband had a few dollars from a Dental Insurance claim.
I just checked my state and first thing found 82.44
Thanks for letting us know!
Woohoo ~ so fun Rebecca! 🙂 Excited for you!
This is very timely for me as I got a letter 6 days ago from my local hospital stating that I had $92 that would be turned over to the state if unclaimed. Apparently they issued a refund check for overpayment of a procedure 2 years ago. It must have been lost in the mail (I never received it) if it was mailed. Yay! I asked them to reissue the check and now I’m $92 richer! Win☺️!