Best Tricks for Locating State Unclaimed Property
State treasuries across the world are facing the problem of unclaimed property, which is increasing at an alarming rate. Unclaimed money or property is not only a big problem for the rightful owner, but also for the agencies involved in the daunting task of locating the owner of the property. Most of the disbursement agencies are trying hard to educate people about unclaimed funds and the correct way to apply for the reclaiming.
The process of reuniting the owner with his unclaimed cash or property is never an easy procedure as it requires a lot of research. Common types of unclaimed properties are:
- Safety deposits box or bank accounts
- In form of mutual funds, bonds and stocks
- Unclaimed money orders or un-cashed cashier’s checks
- Certificate of deposit
- Matured insurance policies
- Escrow accounts and royalty payments
The first step in locating State Unclaimed Property is to identify the area of residence or state at the time of loss of property. After locating the residence you have to start with the application process to claim the property back. The application part is said to be the toughest part in the reclaiming process. Most states now have a dedicated information page on the process of reclaiming the property and are freely available. Some states have a dedicated database for unclaimed funds and they keep the database updated on a regular basis for better service.
Here are some tricks which you can use to sail through the reclaiming process smoothly:
- The first step, as mentioned above, will be to locate all the regions and states where you have lived or have been employed.
- Search and locate the official website of the financial controller of the state of residence.
- After locating the official website, search for the phone number of the concerned authority or the state controller’s office. You can easily find these details on the official website of NAUPA (National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrator’s). You have the option of selecting the area of residence to start the procedure.
- Provide your first and last name in the search box provided to find the total refund against your name. In the search box, try all variations of your name to find correct information.
- After getting all the details, you will have to confirm all the personal details against the unclaimed amount.
- After collecting all the required information, you will have to fill the application of reclaiming form along with all the required documents mentioned in the official website itself.
- Repeat for each state you have lived in.
With the help of all the current policies of the state and federal agencies you can easily seek the guidance of the authorities to fasten the process of reclaiming the property. After some rounds of verification you should receive your unclaimed money back.