missing moneyYour biggest payday might be waiting right around the corner. Did you know that New Jersey is holding close to $4.5 billion of missing money? A portion of that may have your name on it and you won’t even have to lift a muscle to claim your missing money.

Sounds too good to be true? It’s not! According to the Unclaimed Property Administration, there’s billions of dollars up for grabs. In this past year alone, New Jersey collected over $200 million in unclaimed assets.

The UPA defines unclaimed money or unclaimed property as monetary or physical assets that have become separated from their right owner over time. So how does money and property end up missing? When banks, employers, companies, or stockbrokers can’t locate the people they owe assets to, they can’t legally keep it so they turn it over to the state. New Jersey then holds it in the Unclaimed Property Trust Fund in perpetuity or until a claim is submitted and successfully completed. Lost checks, old bank accounts, stock dividends, and any other lost or abandoned property gets sent to the state and officials compile the information into a central database, so people can easily find and claim their missing money.

Here’s how you can see if you’re in line for a payout:

  • Go to the site missingmoney.com and type your name in.
  • Make sure to try using your maiden name.
  • Try searching with no first name, only your last name.
  • Check previous states you’ve lived in.
  • If you have a deceased relative, you may be entitled to their unclaimed funds too.

It’s that easy! And it’s free, too! In only this past year, New Jersey connected $123 million in unclaimed property with their rightful owner or heirs. You have nothing to lose, so it’s worth taking the time to give it a shot. You never know, you might have some rich and generous relatives hiding in your family tree. Good luck!

If you or someone you know needs an attorney please do not hesitate to contact Attorney Leon Matchin at 877-390-2998.