(Part 1 of 2)

The California’s unclaimed property program takes in roughly 300 million dollars each year. Why should you care? Well, if you or anyone you know is or was a resident of the Golden State (or ever had any type of business dealings, whether you were aware of it or not), part of that big heap of Cali missing money could easily be yours!

Under the state of California unclaimed property law, lost money such as forgotten savings and checking accounts, cash and stock dividends, mineral deposits, uncashed checks and money orders, state of California unclaimed tax refunds, salary checks, gift certificates, and other assets are handed over to the Department of the Treasury if their owners don’t locate them within a given time period. This ‘dormancy period’ varies widely from state to state, but in Cali it is three years. These abandoned assets then head to the California unclaimed property division, where they stay in the state’s general fund until they are returned to their rightful owners. This is where state officials who handled Cali unclaimed cash were recently criticized. It appears that they have been eager to track down and collect the lost assets from the various establishments holding them but but were less than enthusiastic about contacting the actual owners in the Cali unclaimed money database.

(to be continued)

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Free money? Get your unclaimed treasure – KGO
BURLINGAME, CA (KGO) — The state could be holding money that should be in your pocket. It could even be holding a family heirloom. There are some big changes happening at the state’s unclaimed property division. Springtime in Burlingame seemed like …

Giannoulias to return over $25,000 to White County residents – Carmi Times
  Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias’ office has initiated claims and inquiries for 34 White County residents which could ultimately result in the return of over $25,000 in unclaimed money and property. The claims and inquiries were …

Money Zone – New York Daily News
Many Americans are predicting it will take about three years to replenish their retirement accounts following the market crash. Only four out of 10 Americans felt it would take three or more years to get back to where they were, while 20% think it …

Free money? Get your unclaimed treasure (KGO-TV Bay Area)
CA’s controller says the state is returning record amounts of property to residents.

Is unclaimed cash waiting for you? – ABC Action News
TAMPA BAY, FL — We’re all trying to ring up less at the register and cut back. Wife and mother Dee Carmichael is no different. “Because you never know if you could be the next one that has a spouse that may lose his job,” she said. Mark …