How to claim your lost or forgotten money

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTVG) - The Ohio Department of Commerce is encouraging residents to check if they have any unclaimed funds. It’s any lost or forgotten money that businesses and banks report to the state after accounts become inactive.

The Division of Unclaimed Funds through the commerce department currently has more than $3 billion in unclaimed funds. There could be a check with your name on it without your knowledge, so the the commerce department is encouraging Ohioans to check if they have unclaimed funds at the link here or by calling 614-466-4433.

The department said the unclaimed funds can come from inactive checking and savings accounts, refund or credit balances, uncashed cashier’s checks, stocks and bonds, forgotten utility deposits or last paychecks. Last year, the division returned more than $134 million in missing money, with an average claim of $4,000.

“We have found that much of the unclaimed funds belong to people over 50 years of age and deceased individuals. So, we want people to not only search their names, search their parents, grandparents and any family members who are living or deceased,” said Susie Wagner, Outreach Administrator for the Division of Unclaimed Funds.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please include the title when you click here to report it.

Copyright 2023 WTVG. All rights reserved.