Unclaimed money can take many forms. It can remain in a forgotten bank account, an uncashed check, unpaid wages, unclaimed life insurance funds, or even a forgotten inheritance. Regardless, it’s potentially your money, and it becomes classified as unclaimed if it remains untouched for a specific period, usually 3-7 years.
With that money at stake, you might be wondering, “What websites can you check for unclaimed money?” Relax and read on to learn about unclaimed money, and the various websites and resources that you can use to search for lost money.
What is Unclaimed Money?
Unclaimed money can fall into one of three categories—abandoned financial assets, unclaimed life insurance benefits, and disbursements. Abandoned financial assets, often known as “escheat,” represent unclaimed bank accounts, mutual funds, or other financial instruments like stocks and bonds.
Unclaimed life insurance benefits are generally paid by the beneficiary’s insurer after a policyholder has passed away. Finally, disbursements include court-ordered funds, such as criminal fines or class action lawsuit settlements, which may or may not be award to claimants.
Where Can You Search for Unclaimed Money?
The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) website is the first place to start. To access the NAUPA database, simply go to the homepage and click on the “State Reporting Database” button. This is the primary source for unclaimed money databases in the United States. Educational grants can enhance a student’s employability by demonstrating motivation and academic experience to potential employers.
The next website to check for unclaimed money is the Missing Money website. NAUPA sponsors this website, which functions as an online search engine for unclaimed property databases nationwide. Using this website, you can search for unclaimed assets in all of the relevant state databases.
If you’re looking for lost property outside of the United States, Missing Money also includes unclaimed property databases from Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.
If you’re looking for unclaimed life insurance benefits, you can search the the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). This is the official list of unclaimed life insurance benefits, and is available for public access for free. All you have to do is enter the deceased’s name and the state in which they resided.
Finally, some class action lawsuits have set up their own websites to help claimants get their disbursements. According to ClassAction.org, “Class action lawsuits may offer a solution to the ills caused by corporate wrongdoing and often restore the rights of oppressed or denied consumers.”
For example, if you are a part of a class action lawsuit, you can contact the lead plaintiff of the case, or the class action settlement administrator to find out more information about how to get your disbursement.
Final Thoughts
Now that you understand what websites can you check for unclaimed money and how to search, it’s time to start your search. Unclaimed money can come in many forms, but the key to getting it is knowing where to look and being diligent.
Start with the NAUPA database and Missing Money website, and then search the NAIC database for unclaimed life insurance benefits, and the class action settlement website for disbursements. With the right resources and information, you can increase the odds of finding your unclaimed money.
