Good Morning!
While our Unclaimed Property holdings may not measure up to the mega lottery that’s been attracting all the attention nationwide, we still have some pretty sizeable claims recently paid out or still waiting for owners to step forward. Check out these numbers and see if you agree:
Our 2012 Unclaimed Property Report was published in 16 newspapers across the state in March and April and is available at the information desk in the State Capitol, in the Nebraska State Office Building in Lincoln, and in Lincoln City Libraries. The digital bulletin board in the State Office Building features the cover of the report, shown above. In the photo below, Kim McFarland of the Department of Health and Human Services poses near the digital signage.
If you haven’t checked recently to see if we are holding unclaimed property for you, we encourage you to visit our website at www.treasurer.org. Actually, we encourage you to check every once in a while because new properties are being entered into our system regularly. Type your name in the blue box on the home page. Try variations of your name as well as the names of living family members, deceased family members, friends, and even your business or an organization you hold dear.
If we are holding property for you or someone you know, you will be able to tell if the value of the property is less than or greater than $300. If the property is less than $300, you may be able to complete the process online. If the property is greater than $300, you will need to complete a form, also found on the website, and provide documentation. The form will need to be notarized. If you prefer, you may call 402-471-8497 in Lincoln or 877-572-9688 toll free outside of Lincoln to complete the process. We also welcome walk-in traffic at our Unclaimed Property office at 809 P Street in the Haymarket or at the State Treasurer’s Office in Suite 2005 of the State Capitol.
While we try to make the process as simple as possible for you, we also are committed to making sure the property goes to its rightful owner and that the process is orderly, thoughtful, and complete. And while we’re not the mega lottery, your odds of finding money you didn’t know you had are actually far better than any game of chance. According to statistics, your chance of finding property that belongs to you in our Unclaimed Property Division is one in five. You can’t beat that.
Below are the latest news stories from the Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office:
Ten employees in the Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office found a spot on the green grass of the Capitol grounds to celebrate after recording thousands, and even millions, of steps in the Walk This Way wellness program.
Leading the way in this group of walkers was Sarah Muller, who recorded 4.4 million steps for the year. She is a research analyst at the Nebraska Child Support Payment Center. Close behind was Troy Reiners, director of the Child Support Payment Center who recorded 4,187,875 steps, and Staci Bolton, a specialist in Treasury Management who recorded 3,212,590 steps.
After 15 months in office, State Treasurer Don Stenberg has made significant improvements to the state’s transparency website, www.NebraskaSpending.gov, and has seen its overall grade jump from a D to a B in the latest ratings released by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG).
“The www.NebraskaSpending.gov website is a wealth of accurate, detailed, and relevant information that provides perspective and accountability for Nebraska taxpayers. My office has taken significant steps to make the information organized and easy for users to access and to provide as much detail as possible, in line with my strong belief in open government and government transparency,” Treasurer Stenberg said.
First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO), the Nebraska Educational Savings Trust (NEST), and Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg today announced important investment plan changes designed to enhance the customer experience, respond to current market conditions and lower account owner costs for NEST, Nebraska’s 529 College Savings Plan. The State Treasurer serves as the Trustee of NEST and First National Bank of Omaha serves as Program Manager. The plan changes were approved today by the Nebraska Investment Council, which is responsible for investment oversight.
The Nebraska Child Support Payment Center, a division of the State Treasurer’s Office, is adding a new email newsletter for employers as a way to reach out to employers who remit child support payments for their employees and to encourage more employers to sign up to make payments electronically.
“We encourage the use of electronic payments by employers to eliminate printing and handling paper checks and to reduce postal costs for employers. Electronic payments also represent a savings to Nebraska taxpayers,” State Treasurer Don Stenberg said. More than 80 percent of payments from employers are sent electronically.
Click here to read full article.
The 2012 Report of Unclaimed Property was published in Nebraska newspapers beginning Sunday, March 4.
The tabloid, published once a year according to state law, includes the names of 34,321 people, organizations, and businesses who have unclaimed property being held by the state. These names were submitted to the state between Feb. 1, 2011, and Jan. 17, 2012.
Click here to read full article.Owners of unused gift cards and gift certificates that have been turned over to the Unclaimed Property Division of the Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office can make claims at any time and, with proper documentation, can get their money back, State Treasurer Don Stenberg said.
The owners’ right to the money does not expire at any pre-determined time, the Treasurer said in response to questions about gift cards and gift certificates now that the holiday gift-giving season has passed.
Click here to read full article.An architect, a marine biologist, a basketball player. These are three examples of careers students pictured themselves in when they entered the NEST (Nebraska Educational Savings Trust) Draw Your Dreams Scholarship contest last year.
To celebrate the artistic talents of these Nebraska students, State Treasurer Don Stenberg will host an exhibit in the Nebraska State Capitol, first floor Rotunda, February 27 to March 2. NEST Program Manager, First National Bank of Omaha, will host the exhibit in its Tower Wintergarden, 1601 Dodge Street, in Omaha, March 19 to March 23.
