Unclaimed Money Finder’s Manual

In the United States today, experts think that about $40 billion in unclaimed
money is collecting dust in state Abandoned and Unclaimed Property offices.
Some of the monetary items that end up in a state's possessions after being
declared abandoned by the holding institution include:
forgotten bank accounts
un-cashed stock dividends
insurance payments
safe deposit boxes
utility deposits
travelers checks
money orders
security deposits
gift cards and certificates
People move away, lose track of investments, or die, and the accounts or funds,
after a set amount of time — frequently three to five years - are reported to the
state Treasurer's Escheats, Comptroller's, or Revenue office. The state then tries to
track down, the owners and return the money.
If you think financial property may be held by your state, the first step is to contact
the appropriate office (a state by state list follows) to find out whether your name
is listed. Or, in the case of the estate of a deceased person, the listing would be
under his/her name.