Give Yourself a Gift of Unclaimed Property this Holiday Season, Says Treasurer Don Stenberg

State Treasurer Don Stenberg says Nebraskans may find gifts for themselves this holiday by checking for unclaimed property through the Treasurer’s website at treasurer.org.

“Checking the State Treasurer’s website to see if you have any unclaimed property is quick and easy, and you may be surprised at what you find,” Stenberg said.

“In addition to finding money that rightfully belongs to you, your search may uncover a memory or a family relationship that is even more meaningful, particularly at this time of year,” he said.

Stenberg said Nebraskans have just enough time to search unclaimed property records, gather the necessary documentation, and file paperwork to have their checks in hand by Christmas. A check usually is mailed two to three weeks after a claim is submitted and approved, he said.

The State Treasurer’s Office is holding more than $135 million in unclaimed property for more than 350,000 Nebraskans, former Nebraskans, and heirs and is processing new properties continuously. So far in 2014, almost 16,000 claims have been paid, totaling more than $10.9 million. The Unclaimed Property staff hopes this year to exceed the total paid out last year when $11.2 million was returned to owners.

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, organizations, and businesses. The most common types of unclaimed property are certificates of deposit, checking and savings accounts, commissions, contents of safe deposit boxes, death benefits, dividends, gift certificates, insurance payments, money orders, paid-up life insurance, refunds, stocks, uncashed checks, and unpaid wages.

Ways to search for unclaimed property:

• Check the Nebraska State Treasurer’s website at treasurer.org. Type a name in the box on the home page, or click on the Unclaimed Property tab. For amounts less than $300, owners may be able to file claims online through the website.
• 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. 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.
• Stop by the Unclaimed Property booth at the next outreach event, the Northeast Nebraska Farm and Equipment Show, Jan. 14-15, in Norfolk.

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 continually are added to the Treasurer’s website at treasurer.org.