Outreach activities for the Unclaimed Property Division of the Nebraska Treasurer’s Office get underway next week at the Sarpy County Fair in Springfield and the York County Fair in York, State Treasurer Don Stenberg said today.
Unclaimed Property specialists will staff the Treasurer’s booth Aug. 2-6 at the Sarpy County Fair and Aug. 3-6 at the York County Fair. The specialists will be available to help fairgoers search for unclaimed property for themselves or for friends and relatives and will assist them in filing claims or advising them on the documentation needed to complete their claims.
“Our outreach events are a good way for us to talk to Nebraskans, explain our unclaimed property program, and help Nebraskans search for unclaimed property we may be holding in their names or in their friends’ or relatives’ names. We are also holding significant amounts for businesses, institutions, and organizations,” Treasurer Stenberg said.
Other outreach events where Nebraskans can search for unclaimed property include the following:
“The State Fair is one of the highlights of the year for our unclaimed property outreach team. The fair gives us an opportunity to reach a large number of people and results in a significant number of approved claims. Last year $55,608 was paid out in 229 claims originating from the State Fair,” Stenberg said.
In all, the Treasurer’s Office is holding $170 million in unclaimed property for 350,000 Nebraskans, former Nebraskans, and heirs. So far, in 2017, the Treasurer’s Office has paid out almost 12,000 claims, totaling almost $10 million, putting the office on track to exceed the $16.3 million, a record amount, returned last year.
Common forms of unclaimed property are uncashed paychecks, refunds, rental deposits, utility deposits, stocks, and dividends, insurance payments, savings bonds, matured CDs, and lost IRAs.
“Since county fairs and the State Fair attract Nebraskans from rural parts of the state, as well as urban areas, they provide an excellent opportunity for us to extend our outreach and increase the number of contacts we make with unclaimed property owners,” Stenberg said. In addition to outreach events, the Treasurer’s Office sends letters to owners, publishes an annual tabloid of new owners’ names, makes personal contacts through email and phone, assists telephone callers, and researches large properties to locate hard-to-find owners.
Stenberg said the total value of unclaimed property being held for Sarpy County residents is $4.6 million. More than 25,000 properties are available to be claimed. The top ten properties in Sarpy County range from $71,435 to $8,185. In York County, a total of 1,317 properties totaling more than $275,000 is available to be claimed. The top ten list includes properties ranging in value from $8,590 to $1,137.
Owners of the largest properties in each county and their last known addresses include the following:
Sarpy County - Jennie Adler, Marie Adler, Samuel Adler, Marguerite Mahoney, Herbert P. Spinks Msgt., and Charles and James VanGreen, all Bellevue; Albert and Mary Parker, Mirranda Nielsen, and Marvin Beezley, all LaVista; and Black Ink Investors LTD, Omaha.
York County - Deborah Beans, Anita Hoffman, Margaret Davis Ratliff Estate, Amy Moore; Raymond Woodard, Phillip Liggett, Donna Moravec, and James Harlacher, all York; Alfred Smith, Henderson; and Nathan and Melissa Bloyd, Gresham.
Top ten agriculture-related companies or industries across the state, amounts ranging from $17,655 to $2,388 - Electric Machinery Sales & SVC, Omaha; Harmon Grain Products, McCook; Ahrens Grain LLC, Nehawka; Continental Grain Co., unknown address; Martin Farms, Imperial; Jordan Farms, unknown address; Newkirk Farms, Broadwater; Cottonwood Feeders, Stuart; Ozark Salad Co. Harmon Grain, McCook; and Adcock Farms Inc., Brighton.
Ways to search for unclaimed property and file claims include the following:
