State Treasurer Riley Moore today announced his Office’s Unclaimed Property Division returned more than $2.2 million worth of unclaimed property to individuals, businesses and other organizations during the month of January.
“We’re happy to start 2024 with a strong month of returning millions of dollars to the people of our state,” Treasurer Moore said. “Our staff works diligently to return lost or abandoned funds to rightful owners, so I encourage everyone to visit www.WVUnclaimedProperty.gov today to search and see if we have anything for you.”
The Unclaimed Property Division returned a total of $2,271,678 paid out through 2,375 claims during the month of January. Since the fiscal year began last July, the office has paid out more than $13.6 million worth of claims.
The State Treasurer’s Office has more than $400 million worth of unclaimed property listings in its database.
For more information about the unclaimed property program, or to search if the Office is holding anything for you, visit www.WVUnclaimedProperty.gov.
What is Unclaimed Property?
Unclaimed property can include financial accounts or items of value in which the owner has not initiated any activity for one year or longer. Common examples include unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts and unused rebate cards. (While the title includes the word “property,” it does not however include real estate.)
West Virginia’s unclaimed property laws protect the public by ensuring money and property owed to them is returned to them, rather than remaining permanently with financial institutions, business associations, governments and other entities. The Treasurer seeks to reunite the unclaimed property, including uncashed paychecks, stocks, or safe deposit box contents, with its owner.
Nationwide, nearly 33 million people in the United States – one in every 10 – are estimated to have unclaimed property available for them to claim.
How Can I Find Unclaimed Property in My Name?
West Virginians searching for lost financial assets can go to www.WVUnclaimedProperty.gov. In addition to finding property, the website will also help you track a claim.
A demonstration of how to use the Unclaimed Property search site is available on the Treasury’s YouTube page, at: https://youtu.be/K09yQ7YNKlE.
To search for lost financial assets outside West Virginia, visit www.MissingMoney.com.