Florida’s Division of Unclaimed Property is currently holding more than $2 billion in forgotten money and unclaimed property that belongs to residents and former residents statewide, according to the state’s Department of Financial Services.
Officials estimate that roughly one in five Floridians has unclaimed funds tied to a forgotten financial account. The unclaimed property typically comes from sources such as old bank accounts, uncashed checks, and insurance payouts that have lost contact with their original owners. It can also include stocks, bonds, dividends, utility deposits, court settlements, and physical items like watches, jewelry, coins, and stamps left in abandoned safe deposit boxes.
Checking whether any of that money belongs to you is free and takes only a few minutes. The state’s official search tool is available at FLTreasureHunt.gov, which is run by the Division of Unclaimed Property. Residents can search by name or look up a business by name to see if any accounts are listed.
Officials recommend searching under multiple name variations, including maiden names, married names, and nicknames, since records are sometimes incomplete and searching only by last name can help avoid missing a match. People can also search on behalf of family members, including deceased relatives, since heirs may be entitled to claim funds held in a relative’s name, though claims involving a deceased owner may require a probate order or additional documentation.
If a search turns up a match, the website walks users through the claims process. Claimants typically need to provide a government-issued photo ID, proof of their current address, and documentation proving ownership of the account. Most claims are paid within 30 to 90 days of a completed application being submitted, though more complex claims involving estates or securities can take longer.
There is no deadline to claim property once it has been turned over to the state, and funds are held indefinitely until claimed by the rightful owner.
State officials also caution residents to be alert for scams. Legitimate searches and claims through Florida’s unclaimed property program are always free, and the state does not contact people demanding upfront fees, wire transfers or bank account information in exchange for releasing funds. Anyone contacted this way is advised to avoid responding and to report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Florida law also caps fees charged by private recovery firms at 20% of the amount recovered, and officials note residents can file claims themselves at no cost.
Follow the St. Pete-Clearwater Sun on Facebook, Google, & X
St. Pete-Clearwater Sun: local St. Pete-Clearwater & Tampa Bay, FL news at PIE-Sun.com
Leave a Reply