How to Legally Claim Abandoned Property
- 1). Make a list of the states where you have lived. The federal abandoned property laws extend to all U.S. holdings and territories; include them on your list.
- 2). Start your research at MissingMoney.com, which is the only comprehensive database endorsed by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. Enter your name and the first state on your list in the search box on the top of the page and click "Go." Note the property identification number, the property type, the financial institution that reported the property abandoned and the last known address reported by the institution for any abandoned property you believe is yours. Repeat for every location on your list.
- 3). Compile documentation of your residency at each of the addresses returned in your search results; most state treasuries will not release funds without it. Old leases, bank statements and utility bills are acceptable, as are previous tax returns, which the IRS has kept records of even if you didn't.
- 4). Contact the treasurer of each state where you discovered abandoned property to determine the claim procedures. The process varies; while some states will accept digitally transmitted documents, others require them sent via fax or postal mail. You must provide your proof of address and the property identification number with your claim, and every state requires a signed affidavit verifying your identity in order to legally claim abandoned property.
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