Have you ever wondered what happens to uncashed checks, unused gift cards, forgotten bank accounts, and other unclaimed funds? They don't just disappear.
In fact, every state maintains an unclaimed property office to locate the rightful owners of these unclaimed assets. The money sitting in state treasuries waiting to be claimed totals tens of billions of dollars nationwide.
In New Jersey, the Unclaimed Property Administration holds over $3 billion in unclaimed funds from sources like old bank accounts, uncashed checks, security deposits, and more. Their goal is to reunite this money with the individuals and businesses it belongs to.
The process to search for and claim unclaimed property in New Jersey is simple and free. You can visit www.unclaimedproperty.nj.gov and enter your name, old addresses, or business names to search the database, which contains records of millions of unclaimed property accounts.
Don't get discouraged if nothing shows up on your first search, as new records are added daily.
If you do locate unclaimed funds that belong to you, you can submit a claim directly on the website. The documentation required to claim the property depends on the type and value of the unclaimed asset.
Typically, you'll need to provide proof of identification and New Jersey residency or business ownership. Once your claim is approved, you'll receive the full amount of your unclaimed property plus any interest accrued.
In addition to state databases, nationwide websites like www.missingmoney.com and www.unclaimed.org are helpful resources for searching unclaimed property records across multiple states at once.
You never know—that forgotten $50 gift card or $500 security deposit from years ago could be sitting unclaimed, waiting for you to find it. Don't leave your hard-earned money unclaimed - start searching today!
