Think about your money for a few seconds. Have you ever searched deep beneath the sofa cushions desperately searching for a few extra coins? Well, you're certainly not alone. There never seems to be enough cash around, but there are some simple ways that are absolutely free for finding any unclaimed money, funds and/or resources. You may be surprised by what you unearth on your mission. You have nothing to lose by trying these methods.

As Snoop Dogg's iconic hit Gin and Juice raps, "Laid back (with my mind on my money and my money on my mind)."

Isn't it time to begin looking for yours?
 

Why the Government Gets Involved

When it comes to unclaimed money and assets, these belongings eventually end up in the hands of the government. Maybe an organization or a government office owed you money, and you never collected it. A financial institution will report this as an unclaimed asset, and after a number of years (usually five), the government steps in and declares that the asset is abandoned, and it's turned over to the state.

This means you could be missing a chunk of cash, valuable items in a bank safe deposit box, money from the sale of stocks, checks, etc. Maybe your unclaimed assets could change your life if you take the steps to claim them.
 

How to Get What's Rightfully Yours Now

The great news is that you can search for unclaimed money, funds and/or resources right at your fingertips safely online. You have a number of excellent options. For example, do you believe that your employer owes you money? The Department of Labor (DOL) can check if your boss broke any laws and recover for you any unpaid wages. You can search the DOL database here.

Another website where you can look for unclaimed property is called MissingMoney.com, and it's also very simple to use. To claim property, type in your last name or business name and your first name, and then, hit the search button. It, too, is a secure website and boasts that it is the "only website endorsed by States and Provinces working together to reunite you with your lost funds."

A few tips provided by MissingMoney.com include remembering to search for previous names if you have had multiple names. Sometimes, there are common misspellings of your current and any former names and the names of relatives if you may be the rightful heir to their property.

If you find that you are owed money, your next step is to file a claim online, and once verified, you will receive your unclaimed property.
 

Are You Owed From a Bankruptcy or Investment?

Here are two more areas where unclaimed money is often found, and once again, it's simple to look up online. Perhaps, you never claimed the money that came with a matured savings bond or never received interest that was owed to you from an investment. You can find out more information at TreasuryHunt.Gov. Just type in your social security number and current state of residence, and click search for the answer.

In another scenario, maybe funds are owed to you, your business, and/or a governmental unit from a bankruptcy situation. You can begin the hunt by using the US Courts Unclaimed Funds Locator.
 

It's All About Consumer Protection

The United States has unclaimed property laws to protect you, the owner, and your heirs and estates. By the way, vehicles and real estate are not covered under unclaimed property. However, there are a lot of unclaimed assets out there with one in seven people having unclaimed property. The average claim value in 2023 is $2,080.

It doesn't matter what state you live in, either. Each state in the country will maintain custody of the property in perpetuity until the rightful owner or heirs come forward to claim it. Some folks wonder why the government doesn't try harder to locate individuals who are owed missed money. State treasury departments say they perform an aggressive outreach effort via mailings, social media, advertisements and local media coverage to connect individuals with unclaimed assets.

The best advice here is to be one step ahead of Uncle Sam. Try one of these online checkers to see if you are owed unclaimed money, funds and/or resources, and good luck!