TAMPA, Fla. — If you need a little extra money, it might be a good idea to check to see if you have any unclaimed property in Florida. It's not a quick fix, but state leaders say about 1 in 5 Floridians have unclaimed property they may not know about.
Unclaimed property is described as a "financial asset that is unknown or lost or has been left inactive, unclaimed, or abandoned by its owner," according to the Florida Department of Financial Services.
Typically, the most common types of unclaimed property are the following: Dormant bank accounts, unclaimed insurance proceeds, stocks, dividends, uncashed checks, deposits, credit balances, refunds and abandoned safe deposit boxes.
You can find unclaimed property by visiting FLTreasureHunt.gov.
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said back in July that during the month of June, the returned unclaimed property totaled more than $26 million, with the Tampa-St. Pete region receiving the most. In June, residents living in the Tampa-St. Pete region received about $6.14 million in unclaimed property.
"You can search for yourself, your loved ones, and even your business at FLTreasureHunt.gov," Patronis said in part in a previous statement. "It's estimated that one in five Floridians has unclaimed property just waiting to be claimed, with an average claim of $825. This extra cash can be a lifeline for those on fixed incomes or families facing tight budgets. Don’t delay – start your treasure hunt today and make this Fourth of July truly rewarding!"
How to search for and claim unclaimed property
According to the Florida Department of Financial Services, an estimated one in five Floridians have unclaimed property. The average claim totals about $825.
Typically, unclaimed property assets are held by "holders" such as businesses or government entities for a set time period, generally about five years.
If the asset isn't returned or contact isn't established within that time period, the holder reports and sends the unclaimed property to the DFS's unclaimed property division.
Typically, the most common types of unclaimed property are the following:
- Dormant bank accounts
- Unclaimed insurance proceeds
- Stocks
- Dividends
- Uncashed checks
- Deposits
- Credit balances
- Refunds
- Abandoned safe deposit boxes
You can find unclaimed property by visiting FLTreasureHunt.gov.
