6 Ways To Find Unclaimed Money – A forgotten savings account or a lost paycheck can be a lifeline for many people during this time. Luckily, there are credible websites that can help you search for these windfalls of cash.

6 Ways To Find Unclaimed Money:

Each state has its own process when you’re ready to claim your lost money, but it should be pretty straightforward. You need to be prepared to show proof of ownership of whatever you are claiming such as a pay stub, utility bill or your Social Security number. You will also need to have proof of identity, like a copy of your driver’s license or passport. Processing times vary by state but some can take less than 30 days, the NAUPA website says.

Here’s How To Find Your Lost Or Forgotten Cash:

Life Insurance Policies:
If you’re looking for an unclaimed life insurance benefit, check out the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs unclaimed funds page.You may also want to look at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ life insurance policy locator.
Former Pension and Retirement Plans:
To pinpoint an unclaimed pension from an old job, check out the website PBGC that’s run by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, a U.S. government agency.PenChecks Trust, which offers retirement plan distributions, also has a registry database of unclaimed retirement benefits, where both employers and employees may pinpoint unclaimed funds.
Native American Money:
If you’re a Native American and there’s a chance the government may owe you money, visit the U.S. Department of Interior website’s unclaimed accounts search page, also called the “Whereabouts Unknown” search tool.The U.S. Department of Interior’s website says, “Tens of thousands of beneficiaries haven’t claimed their Individual Indian Money (IIM) account, or no longer have a mailing address on file with us. Some of these accounts have more than $100,000 in them.”
Savings Bonds:
Sometimes, you have savings bonds that you simply forgot about. To find out if you have any that have stopped maturing, visit the government website Treasury Hunt and enter your Social Security number and state.
Online Databases Designed to Find Missing Money:
If you believe you have unclaimed money in an old bank account, check out MissingMoney.com, operated by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators.If you used to belong to a credit union, visit the National Credit Union Administration’s unclaimed deposits page.
Bank Accounts:
Make sure you search the FDIC unclaimed funds page, which shows any money a closed bank might owe you.Or, if your credit union failed, check the National Credit Union Administration’s unclaimed deposits page.
Check for unclaimed tax refunds:
The Internal Revenue Service may owe you money. Every year, the IRS has millions of dollars in tax refunds that go undelivered or unclaimed.

If you think the IRS might owe you money, you can file a claim to the IRS to update them about your new address. Additionally, if an employer withholds funds from you, the IRS gives you up to three years to submit a claim to collect your money.

Don’t hire a service for this:

Helping everyday citizens claim lost money is one of the duties of the U.S. Treasury Department. You are entitled to any of your or a deceased relative’s old bank accounts, safe deposit box contents, uncashed checks, insurance policies, CDs, trust funds, utility deposits, stocks and bonds, wages, and escrow accounts.

You don’t need to hire a dubious service or spend money to make money. If anyone asks for payment to help you find unclaimed property, ditch them. You can easily do it yourself.

Bottom line:

As the economy struggles to rebound, every dollar matters to the average consumer.

Whether you feel low on cash right now or you are worried about more financial strain in the coming months, spend some time searching for any unclaimed money on websites like Unclaimed.org and MissingMoney.com. And don’t forget about what’s already in your wallet, like your credit cards. You earned the rewards and now is a good time to cash them in.