Editorial: Treasurer Spellerberg Touts Unclaimed Property Program

By Joey Spellerberg
Nebraska State Treasurer

For years, the State Treasurer’s Office has urged Nebraskans to visit NebraskaLostCash.gov to see if they or their loved ones have unclaimed property. After all, one in five Nebraska residents has unclaimed assets held by the state. Despite this fact, we still get questions such as:

• Is this a scam?
• How could I possibly have unclaimed property?
• Why is the state holding unclaimed assets? 

Here’s a brief overview of Nebraska’s unclaimed property program — and why it’s one of the state’s leading consumer protection initiatives.

Why We Hold Unclaimed Property

Under state law enacted nearly 60 years ago, the Unclaimed Property Division — overseen by the State Treasurer — holds “lost assets” as a consumer protection measure. The goal is to reunite Nebraskans with their abandoned financial assets.

The program exists primarily to address situations where financial institutions have lost contact with customers. Unclaimed property includes forgotten bank accounts, stock holdings, insurance proceeds, safe deposit box contents, and more.

Our Unclaimed Property Division maintains custody of these assets until the rightful owners or their heirs claim them. Unclaimed property does not belong to the state — it belongs to individuals who can use these dollars for household expenses, or perhaps a down payment on a home, or maybe college savings.

We want to return lost assets to their rightful owners and get this money back into local economies.

Nebraska’s Success Story

While unclaimed property laws exist in every state, Nebraska has been especially successful in this area. Since its establishment, our Unclaimed Property Division has returned approximately $310 million to rightful owners.

In 2025, the division returned more than $19.7 million through nearly 20,000 claims. In the first quarter of 2026, we returned nearly $6.6 million, with the average paid claim exceeding $1,000.

Much of this success is due to the experienced team administering the program. Unclaimed Property Director Meaghan Aguirre has served the office for nearly two decades and currently serves as president of the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators.

How to Search

With the state safeguarding millions of dollars in lost assets, every Nebraskan should take a minute to visit NebraskaLostCash.gov — to search their name, family members’ names, and business’ name. The site has been visited nearly 200,000 times in the last six months.

If you have lived in multiple states, visit MissingMoney.com, which is a national database. Searching both sites is easy, free, and secure.

Keep in mind that unclaimed property exists in all 93 counties — so share this information with others. Nebraskans are typically surprised to discover that money is waiting for them.

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Joey Spellerberg was sworn in as Nebraska’s 47th State Treasurer on Nov. 6, 2025. In this role, he serves as the state’s chief financial officer. The Treasurer’s Office administers the Nebraska Educational Savings Trust (NEST 529) and Enable Savings Plan; manages and returns unclaimed property; collects and disburses child support payments; and promotes transparency in state spending. Learn more at treasurer.nebraska.gov.