State Treasurer Stenberg is working to return $100 million in unclaimed property to Nebraskans

In addition to the familiar Andersons and Johnsons and Petersons who populate Nebraska’s 93 counties, some other big names are showing up in the 2011 list of unclaimed property owners, to be published in 16 Nebraska newspapers in March and April.

There are institutions of higher learning, major health care centers, banks and insurance companies, public and private entities, and the biggest businesses in the state. As well as hotels, restaurants, doctors’ offices, and ordinary citizens. In all, the Unclaimed Property Division of the Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office is holding property valued at more than $100 million for more than 350,000 Nebraskans or former Nebraskans.

“One of my priorities as State Treasurer is to return unclaimed property to its rightful owners. I encourage all Nebraskans to look for their names in our newspaper publication or check our website at www.treasurer.org,” State Treasurer Don Stenberg said.

Meaghan Aguirre, director of the Unclaimed Property Division, said that unclaimed property could be in the form of stocks, dividends, utility deposits, mutual funds, lost IRAs, matured CDs, and unused gift certificates. The property also could be in the form of court deposits, payroll wages, refunds, commissions, dormant accounts, and safe deposit boxes.

The 2011 list includes names of people and organizations with funds reported to the Unclaimed Property Division during the past year; most entries were only recently added to the list. This year’s list includes an estimated 25,000 names and represents almost $20 million in unclaimed property.

Once a year, according to state law, the Unclaimed Property Division publishes the names of people and organizations for whom the state is holding unclaimed property. This year’s 28-page publication will come out March 6 in the Omaha World-Herald and the Scottsbluff Star-Herald. The tabloid publication will be published on the following dates in the following Nebraska newspapers:

Aguirre suggests that readers look for their own names as well as the names of relatives, businesses, and friends in the tabloid publication. The names are listed by last known county of residence. All claims are verified by the Unclaimed Property Division staff. Readers who find their names or the names of their businesses or of deceased relatives should use one of the following methods to file claims:

  • Jana Langemach
  • Director of Communications
  • 402-471-8884