A state database could hold the key to a little extra cash for your wallet, during the holiday season.
Florida’s Department of Financial Services maintains an unclaimed property database.
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It’s a way for the state to reunite Floridians with money that is rightfully theirs -- everything from forgotten bank accounts, to utility deposits, to insurance proceeds, and more.
Unclaimed property is defined as a financial asset that is unknown, lost, left inactive, unclaimed, or abandoned by its owner.
Unclaimed property assets are held by business or government entities (holders) for a set time, usually five years, state officials say.
If the holder cannot locate, re-establish contact with, or return the asset to the owner, it is reported and remitted to the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Unclaimed Property.
Every month, millions of dollars in unclaimed property are claimed, according to the Florida Chief Financial Officer.
To see if you are owed money, visit www.fltreasurehunt.gov and click on the large “Search for Unclaimed Property” button.
You can search for your name to find accounts that are potentially yours. The site allows you to begin a claims process if you find a match.
Watch out for pop-up ads on your computer or other solicitations that come from outside companies. They want to charge you for something that you can do yourself for free.
While it is legal for them to offer their services for a fee, searching your name and claiming your money is something you can do on your own at no cost.
Only use the state’s official and secure site -- which you will find in the link above. You will know you are on the state’s safe and secure site when you see the URL is fltreasurehunt.gov and the official seal of CFO Blaise Ingoglia on the page.