Have you ever heard of MissingMoney.com? MissingMoney.com is a national database that was established in 1999 by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) and enables people to perform comprehensive searches for lost assets required by law to be turned over to the states and provinces.
The most common types of unclaimed property include:
- Bank accounts and safe deposit box contents
- Stocks, mutual funds, bonds, and dividends
- Uncashed checks and wages
- Insurance policies, CD’s, trust funds
- Utility deposits, escrow accounts
To search for your own missing money, here are the steps that you need to follow:
- Go here, enter your name, and click on ‘Go.’ You can do an individual, family or business search. You can even search for a deceased family member.
- If you find a match, you must complete a claim form. Most states and provinces require a specific form to be completed which asks pertinent information about the property and proof of ownership, such as copies of checkbook, passbook, bonds, etc.
- Follow the instructions to complete the specified form and supply any necessary documentation and identification.
- The claim form and ID are then mailed to the state for review. The state will respond to you directly after they have reviewed your submission and verified that you are the rightful owner.
- Most states send you an acknowledgment letter after receiving your claim. Claims processing time frames vary between states and provinces and property to property based upon claim activity.
- Please note that there are currently only 44 states whose records are contained in the MissingMoney database. Go here to view the list of participating states. Illinois and Rhode Island will be added soon.
If you have additional questions about MissingMoney.com, please view the frequently asked questions and/or contact them directly
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