(Part 1 of 2)

The Beaver State is known for being the home of the massive, 11,000 foot Mt. Hood, but it is also home to a lesser known mountain that should be of greater concern to OR residents. Currently, Oregon unclaimed money has reached more than 250 million dollars. That's right, more than a quarter of a billion dollars, owed to over a million people. This translates in to approximately 30% of the population, which means the chances that any given person is owed a chunk of this money are 1 in 3.

Every year, the state of OR receives between $30 and $40 million in unclaimed funds, but only returns approximately $10 million to the rightful owners. Since the owners of the other $20 to $30 million were not located, that cash gets added to the total, so that $250 million will obviously grow. While it is certainly tough to believe that 1 in 3 OR residents are due a claim, these monies really come from sources that we all use everyday. The OR Department of State Lands describes some of the most common sources as follows:"Unclaimed property includes savings accounts, checking accounts, unpaid wages or commissions, stocks, dividends proceeds, refunds, money orders, paid-up life insurance policies, utility deposits and contents of safe deposit boxes."

Each type of asset can be classified as "unclaimed" once it has been determined to be abandoned. To be considered abandoned, the asset must sit dormant for a period of 1, 2, 3, or 5 years, or in certain cases, 7 or 15 years (for money orders and traveler's checks, respectively). Usually though, 1 to 5 years is general dormancy period range for the majority of these properties. Once the dormancy period has passed, the holder has to pass the abandoned assets along to the state, which then holds it until the rightful owner is able to track it down.

(to be continued)

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UNCLAIMED MONEY TO RISE TO RM95 MLN THIS YEAR (Bernama via Yahoo! Malaysia News)
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 (Bernama) — The amount of unclaimed money under the Unclaimed Money Registry is expected to go up to RM95 million this year, said Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah.

Website Helps Police Auction Unclaimed Property - WCCO

Website Helps Police Auction Unclaimed Property WCCO, MN - Dec 5, 2008 "And when it can help me in my job and save some money, it's a win-win for me," he added. Most people wouldn't know what it was, but Hawkins recognized a …

Come Get Your Money — $266 Million Worth - ABC News

Come Get Your Money — $266 Million Worth ABC News - Nov 25, 2008 "We want people to get reunited with their money," joked IRS spokesperson Eric Smith. The unclaimed money goes back into the Treasury until its recipients …

Do you have unclaimed money? - WPTV

Do you have unclaimed money? WPTV, FL - Nov 24, 2008 If you’re from another state, Sink says Florida’s website can even link you to other states’ websites in case you have forgotten unclaimed cash sitting in …

(Part 2 of 2)

Each type of asset can be classified as "unclaimed" after it has been determined to be abandoned. To be considered abandoned, the asset must lie inactive for a period of 1, 2, 3, or 5 years, or in certain cases, 7 or 15 years (for money orders and traveler's checks, respectively). Generally speaking though, 1-5 years is the assumed dormancy period for most of these monies. Once the dormancy period has gone by, the holder is required to pass the missing money along to the state, which then holds on to it until the rightful owner is able to locate it.

The reasons that it is difficult to reunite unclaimed money with the rightful owners are numerous, but they generally all come down to a lack of knowledge about when and where to search. While a lot of web sites may claim to be "official" or say they offer a complete database, very few actually provide legitimate listings, and even the actual state records are quite unreliable. Once an asset is turned over to the state, an employee at the state has to physically enter the record in to the missing money list, but this is not done right away, so it's a good idea to check the database often. On top of that, because of all the differing dormancy period lengths, a person could perform a search on a given day and then end their search if they found no claims, when if they had only searched again the following year they may have found a large claim that simply had a longer dormancy period.

When searching for unclaimed assets, there's more to it than simply plugging a name in to the search box of any old website. Issues that plague new searchers can be easy to circumvent, but the majority try to go out on their own and are not able to find money that is owed to them, which is why the totals get bigger continually all across the nation. Spending a little time learning professional search techniques can greatly increase the chances of filling our wallets with money we didn't even realize we had.

-

Lost money returned to Bluffton couple - WTOC

Lost money returned to Bluffton couple WTOC, GA - 15 hours ago The building and her money on TV. See Missing money found and still unclaimed. "I just started screaming and I started pounding on him saying, 'that's us! …

M'sia Will Not Slip Into Full Recession, Says Dr M (Sin Chew Jit Poh)
Malaysia will not slip into full recession next year if the country's economy is well managed by the government, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today. …

Unclaimed Money To Rise To RM95m This Year (Sin Chew Jit Poh)
KUALA LUMPUR: The amount of unclaimed money under the Unclaimed Money Registry is expected to go up to RM95 million this year, said Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah.

$700,000 in unclaimed cash in Greensville (NBC 12 Richmond)
GREENSVILLE, VA (NBC12) - Several people have come forward to claim nearly three quarters of a million dollars that was seized during a traffic stop. We first told you about this story in September.

(Part 1 of 2)

The Beaver State is known for being the home of the huge, 11 thousand foot Mt. Hood, but it is home to a lesser known mountain that is likely of greater interest to OR residents. As it stands today, Oregon unclaimed money totals more than 250 million dollars. That's right, more than a quarter of a billion dollars, owed to more than a million residents. This translates in to about 30% of Oregonians, which means the odds that any given person is due a chunk of this cash are 1 in 3.

Every year, the state of OR receives between 30 and 40 million dollars in unclaimed money, but only returns about 10 million dollars to the actual owners. Since the owners of the other $20 to $30 million were not located, that cash gets added to the total, so that $250 million only stands to grow. While it may be hard to believe that 1 out of every 3 OR residents are due a claim, these monies really come from sources that we all use everyday. The OR Department of State Lands describes some of the most common sources as follows:"Unclaimed property includes savings accounts, checking accounts, unpaid wages or commissions, stocks, dividends proceeds, refunds, money orders, paid-up life insurance policies, utility deposits and contents of safe deposit boxes."

(to be continued)

-

Unclaimed money may be yours - The Cherokeean Herald

Unclaimed money may be yours The Cherokeean Herald, TX - Nov 4, 2008 However, many more residents have unclaimed property that was not published. To find out if a person has money in the state treasury go to the state …

State to state, Amber Alert triggers vary (Baltimore Sun)
Authorities count hundreds of Amber Alert cases across the country as success stories when they start explaining why the media-friendly and politically popular bulletins are so important.

Conn. trims deficit, but won’t seek bottle deposit money (Journal Inquirer)
HARTFORD — The legislature on Monday shaved a modest $72 million off the budget deficit in special session, approving most measures proposed by Gov. M. Jodi Rell.

(Part 2 of 2)

The reasons that it is hard to reunite unclaimed property with the rightful owners are numerous, but they generally all boil down to a lack of understanding about when and where to search. While a lot of web sites might claim to be "official" or say they offer a complete database, very few actually provide legitimate listings, and even the official state records are quite unreliable. Once an asset is turned over to the state, someone at the state has to manually enter the record in to the abandoned assets list, but this isn't done immediately, so it is good practice to do a search often. On top of that, because of all the varying dormancy period lengths, a person could perform a search one day and then end their search if they found no claims, when if they had just searched again the following year they might have found a significant claim that simply had a longer dormancy period.

When searching for lost money, there's more to it than just typing a name in to the search tool of any old web site. Obstacles that hinder new searchers are easy to circumvent, but the majority try to go out on their own and are unable to find money that belongs to them, which is why the totals grow continually all across the nation. Spending a little time studying expert search practices can greatly increase the odds of filling our pockets with money we had forgotten about.

-

Money saving tips-Unclaimed money and property - ABC12.com

Money saving tips-Unclaimed money and property ABC12.com, MI - Nov 25, 2008 Thousands of people in Michigan do have money coming to them from the state treasury. That's where unclaimed money is sent. "(It) can be money on there from …

Rents up in New Orleans while $846m sits unclaimed - The Associated Press

The Associated Press

Rents up in New Orleans while $846m sits unclaimed The Associated Press - Nov 24, 2008 So far, it has put money in the hands of only 352 landlords. The hurdles have been its flawed implementation, limited financial resources among applicants, …

Money Still Available From Unclaimed Stimulus Checks - KSLA-TV

Money Still Available From Unclaimed Stimulus Checks KSLA-TV, LA - Nov 25, 2008 IRS officials say there are more than 5000 unclaimed checks in Louisiana totaling more than 3000000 dollars in the Bayou State. The checks have been sitting …

Conn. trims deficit, but won’t seek bottle deposit money - Journal Inquirer

Conn. trims deficit, but won’t seek bottle deposit money Journal Inquirer, CT - Nov 25, 2008 Specifically, it would have allowed the state to seize unclaimed bottle and can deposits that now land in beverage distributors’ pockets. …

(Part 1 of 2)

The Beaver State is known for being the home of the massive, 11,000 foot Mt. Hood, but it is also home to a lesser known mountain that is likely of greater interest to Oregon residents. Currently, Oregon unclaimed money has reached more than 250 million dollars. That's right, more than a quarter of a billion, owed to more than 1 million people. This translates in to about 30% of the population, which means the odds that any given person is owed a portion of this money are 1 in 3.

Each year, the state of Oregon takes in between 30 and 40 million dollars in unclaimed property, but only returns about $10 million to the rightful owners. Since the owners of the other $20 to $30 million were not found, that money gets added to the total, so that $250 million only stands to grow. While it may be difficult to accept that 1 in 3 Oregon residents are due a claim, these monies really come from sources that we all use everyday. The OR Department of State Lands describes some of the most common sources as follows:"Unclaimed property includes savings accounts, checking accounts, unpaid wages or commissions, stocks, dividends proceeds, refunds, money orders, paid-up life insurance policies, utility deposits and contents of safe deposit boxes."

Each type of property can become "unclaimed" after it has been determined to be abandoned. To be deemed abandoned, the asset must lie dormant for a period of 1, 2, 3, or 5 years, or in less common cases, 7 or 15 years (for money orders and traveler's checks, respectively). Generally speaking though, 1-5 years is the assumed dormancy period for most of these properties. Once the dormancy period has passed, the holder has to pass the abandoned assets along to the state, which then holds it until the rightful owner is able to locate it.

(to be continued)

-

Unclaimed money may be yours - The Cherokeean Herald

Unclaimed money may be yours The Cherokeean Herald, TX - Nov 4, 2008 However, many more residents have unclaimed property that was not published. To find out if a person has money in the state treasury go to the state …

Father, son give dignified last journey to unclaimed bodies (Gulf Times)
BANGALORE: It is a difficult, low paying job that most would shy away from, but Bangalore-based Mahadeva has made giving a decent burial to unclaimed bodies his life’s work.

State may claim unclaimed bottle deposits - Newsday

State may claim unclaimed bottle deposits Newsday, NY - 10 hours ago That money currently goes to beer and soda distributors. Rell's proposal will be considered Monday as lawmakers meet to try and close a more than $300 … State Eyes Unclaimed Bottle, Can Deposits Hartford Courant State may claim unclaimed bottle deposits Connecticut Post Assembly: Seize unclaimed deposits Connecticut Post all 8 news articles

State may claim unclaimed bottle deposits (Boston Globe)
Gov. M. Jodi Rell is proposing that state government take control of the millions of dollars in bottle and can deposits that soda and beer drinkers in Connecticut leave unclaimed each year.

Your Money Matters (The Advocate)
Unclaimed money is being held by the state and is waiting to be picked up. You could have money waiting for you.

(Part 2 of 2)

Each type of property can be classified as "unclaimed" once it has been determined to be abandoned. To be considered abandoned, the asset must lie inactive for a period of 1, 2, 3, or 5 years, or in certain cases, 7 or 15 years (for money orders and traveler's checks, respectively). Usually though, 1-5 years is the assumed dormancy period for the majority of these monies. After the dormancy period has gone by, the holder has to pass the missing money along to the state, which then holds on to it until the actual owner is able to track it down.

The reasons that it is hard to reunite unclaimed money with the rightful owners are numerous, but they usually all come down to a lack of knowledge about where and when to search. While a lot of websites might claim to be "official" or say they have a complete database, very few actually provide legitimate records, and even the official state listings are quite unreliable. Once a claim is handed over to the state, someone at the state has to physically enter the record in to the missing money list, but this is not done immediately, so it's a good idea to check the database regularly. Additionally, because of all the differing dormancy period lengths, a person might perform a search one day and then end their search if they find no records, when if they had just checked back the year after they may have found a large claim that simply had a longer dormancy period.

When tracking down lost money, there is a bit more to it than simply entering a name in to the search box of any old web site. Obstacles that hinder rookie searchers can be easy to overcome, but the majority try to go out on their own and are not able to track down money that is owed to them, which is why the totals get bigger all across the country. Spending a little time studying professional search techniques can greatly increase the odds of filling our wallets with money we had forgotten about.

-

EDITORIAL: Schools must cash tech check: Unspent Microsoft … - TMCnet

EDITORIAL: Schools must cash tech check: Unspent Microsoft … TMCnet - Nov 18, 2008 But two years later, nearly 80 percent of the money is still in the vault, unclaimed by California schools. Only a few Kern County school districts have …

IRS seeks owners of unclaimed money - Ventura County Star

CaymanMama.com (press release)

IRS seeks owners of unclaimed money Ventura County Star, CA - Oct 25, 2008 The checks total $643785 in unclaimed money. The average amount on the stimulus checks is $617; the average for the refund checks is $1007. … BRIEF: Are you 1 of 30000 Floridians owed money from IRS? TMCnet Thousands of IRS stimulus checks lying unclaimed in state Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Area taxpayers owed money from IRS Minot Daily News Beaumont Enterprise - WREX-TV all 470 news articles

Father, son give dignified last journey to unclaimed bodies (Gulf Times)
BANGALORE: It is a difficult, low paying job that most would shy away from, but Bangalore-based Mahadeva has made giving a decent burial to unclaimed bodies his life’s work.

Do you have unclaimed money lying around? - NEWS.com.au

NEWS.com.au

Do you have unclaimed money lying around? NEWS.com.au, Australia - Nov 4, 2008 "Unfortunately, most Australians haven't checked to find out if they too have unclaimed money.'' When contacted by a member of the public, ASIC consultants …

(Part 1 of 2)

The Beaver State is famous for being the home of the huge, 11,000 foot Mt. Hood, but it is home to a lesser known mountain that should be of greater interest to OR residents. Currently, Oregon unclaimed money totals more than 250 million dollars. That's right, more than a quarter of a billion dollars, owed to more than 1 million residents. This translates in to about 30% of the population, which means the chances that any given citizen is owed a chunk of this cash are 1 in 3.

Every year, the state of OR takes in between 30 and 40 million dollars in unclaimed money, but only returns about $10 million to the rightful owners. Since the owners of the other $20 to $30 million were not found, that cash gets added to the total, so that $250 million will obviously grow. While it is certainly hard to accept that 1 in 3 OR citizens are owed a claim, these monies really come from sources that we all use everyday. The OR Department of State Lands describes some of the most common sources as follows:"Unclaimed property includes savings accounts, checking accounts, unpaid wages or commissions, stocks, dividends proceeds, refunds, money orders, paid-up life insurance policies, utility deposits and contents of safe deposit boxes."

(to be continued)

-

Clayton woman reclaims missing money 10 years later - WRAL.com

Clayton woman reclaims missing money 10 years later WRAL.com, NC - Oct 22, 2008 The North Carolina Department of the State Treasurer holds unclaimed property – for example, money from bank accounts, leftover paychecks, old insurance …

WA's $1.3m unclaimed fortune (Perth Now)
THE Australian Securities and Investments Commission has renewed its call for West Australians to stake their claim in over $1.3 million in unclaimed money.

Millions of Stimulus Check Dollars Go Unclaimed in Tennessee (News Channel 5 Nashville)
Thousands of Tennesseans still haven't gotten their economic stimulus checks, and the IRS is looking for them.

Wisconsinites Missing out on Money - WEAU-TV 13

CaymanMama.com (press release)

Wisconsinites Missing out on Money WEAU-TV 13, WI - Oct 23, 2008 About 51 people also did not get their economic stimulus checks in Eau Claire County, totaling more than $23000 dollars in unclaimed money. … IRS seeks owners of unclaimed money Ventura County Star IRS Looking to Give Back Unclaimed Money San Diego 6 BRIEF: Are you 1 of 30000 Floridians owed money from IRS? TMCnet WLWT - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel all 470 news articles

Do you have unclaimed money lying around? - NEWS.com.au

NEWS.com.au

Do you have unclaimed money lying around? NEWS.com.au, Australia - Nov 4, 2008 "Unfortunately, most Australians haven't checked to find out if they too have unclaimed money.'' When contacted by a member of the public, ASIC consultants …