Treasurer Stenberg Announces Unclaimed Property Outreach Events
- July 22, 2013
- Lincoln, NE
Unclaimed Property specialists with the Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office will take part in outreach events in the coming months to help Nebraskans search for money they didn’t know they had, State Treasurer Don Stenberg said today.
So far in 2013, the State Treasurer’s Office has returned $6,035,888 in unclaimed property to rightful owners. That figure represents 10,851 claims.
Unclaimed Property specialists will be at the following locations to help Nebraskans search and file claims:
- Buffalo County Fair, Kearney, July 25-27
- Scotts Bluff County Fair, Mitchell, Aug. 7-10
- Nebraska State Fair, Grand Island, Aug. 23-Sept. 2
- Husker Harvest Days, Grand Island, Sept. 10-12
- World Day on the Mall, Pershing Center, Lincoln, Sept. 19
- Applejack Festival, Nebraska City, Sept. 21-22
- Fall Home and Garden Expo, Omaha, Oct. 25-27
- Northeast Nebraska Farm Show, Norfolk, Jan. 16-17
“An important part of the work of our Unclaimed Property Division is outreach, making sure Nebraskans know about the state’s unclaimed property program and how to search for property for themselves, their friends and relatives, and their businesses and organizations,” Stenberg said.
“Events like these are ideal opportunities for my staff to make contact with Nebraskans and to answer their questions about unclaimed property and to provide information about how to file claims,” Stenberg said. “We are holding more than $125 million of property for more than 350,000 Nebraskans or former Nebraskans or heirs. Given those statistics, Nebraskans have a one in five chance of finding property that belongs to them.”
Unclaimed property consists of cash and other personal assets that are considered lost or abandoned after an owner cannot be located for a specified period of time. The property is turned over to the state by banks, insurance companies, merchants, and other businesses.
Other ways to search for unclaimed property:
- Search the Unclaimed Property database by using the search box at the top of the Unclaimed Property landing page on the Treasurer's website. For amounts under $300, owners may be able to file their claims through the Treasurer's website. Claims take three to four weeks to process.
- Call the Unclaimed Property Division at 1-877-572-9688 toll free or 402-471-8497 in Lincoln between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays
- Visit the Unclaimed Property office at 809 P Street in Lincoln or in the Treasurer’s Office in Suite 2005 of the State Capitol. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Bring your driver’s license and Social Security card as well as documentation if filing on behalf of a business or a deceased family member.
Facts about unclaimed property:
- Most common forms of unclaimed property are dividends, dormant accounts, gift certificates, insurance payments, matured CDs, lost IRAs, wages, rebates, stock and mutual funds, utility deposits, and abandoned safe deposit boxes.
- Unclaimed property does not include land, real estate, vehicles, or tax refunds.
- Unclaimed property is held by the state until an owner or heir can be documented; an owner or heir never loses the right to file a claim.
- There is no charge to search or file a claim.
- To maximize efforts, searchers should use various forms of a name – with and without initials, with and without middle name, using a previous married name or a maiden name, reversing the order of the first and last names.
- New properties are continually added to the Treasurer’s website at www.treasurer.org.