(Part 1 of 2)

The state of California’s unclaimed property program takes in approximately three hundred million dollars annually. Why does it matter to you? Well, if you or someone you know is or ever was a resident of the Golden State (or had any kind of business dealings, whether you knew it or not), some of that big pile of California missing money could very well belong to you!

Under the CA unclaimed property (or escheat) law, missing money like forgotten checking and savings accounts, uncashed checks and money orders, mineral deposits, salary checks, cash and stock dividends, state of California unclaimed tax refunds, gift certificates, and other assets are turned over to the Treasury Department if the rightful owners don’t locate them within a given period. This ‘dormancy period’ varies from state to state, but in California it’s three years. These lost assets then get moved to the California unclaimed property division, where they sit in the state’s general fund until they are returned to their rightful owners. This is where state employees who handled California unclaimed cash were recently criticized. Seems that they were eager to locate and take hold of the lost funds from the various establishments holding them but but were less than enthusiastic about contacting the owners in the California unclaimed money database.

(to be continued)

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State looking for owners of unclaimed billions – msnbc.com
The comptroller’s Office of Unclaimed Funds is holding several events around the state this month to help people check to see if they’re owed any money from an unclaimed tax refund, forgotten bank account, insurance claim, or utility rebate.

Treasurer: Vets owed money – Topeka Capital-Journal
TOPEKA – State Treasurer Dennis McKinney is expanding a program he hopes will help return unclaimed property to thousands of Kansas veterans. McKinney’s office is renewing a partnership with the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs. The treasurer …

Does Huntington Beach owe you money? – msnbc.com
HUNTINGTON BEACH-The city is looking for residents and vendors to collect nearly $87,000 in unclaimed money by June 23. The funds have been unclaimed for three years and at midnight on June 23 they will become property of the city. Money owed to …