Inaugurated in 2021, February 1 is celebrated as National Unclaimed Property Day.
In Texas, the Comptroller of Public Accounts is responsible for administering the Unclaimed Property Division, and Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Glenn Hegar wants to remind citizens of our state that they can check online – at any time – to find out if they are eligible to declare their ownership of unclaimed property and abandoned assets.
“I am proud to have returned nearly $2 billion to Texans since becoming Comptroller, and we are continually looking for new ways to return even more. I am proud to have given back more money than any other Texas Comptroller since the Unclaimed Property Program was launched in 1962,” said Hegar, as reported via News 4 San Antonio.
“This effort is part of my continued commitment to focus on customer service and provide taxpayers with transparent and accountable government. The money belongs to the people of Texas, and I encourage everyone to visit ClaimItTexas.org to see if the state is holding some of their unclaimed property,” the Comptroller continued.
Listed on the website are multiple examples of unclaimed property and abandoned assets, including: dividends, payroll checks, cashier’s checks, stocks, bonds, mutual fund accounts, utility deposits, refunds, bank accounts, contents of safe deposit boxes, insurance proceeds, mineral interests, royalty payments, court deposits, trust funds, escrow accounts, overpayments on insurance, overpayments on utility bills, and overpayment on other bills.
Vehicles and real estate are not listed among the examples of unclaimed property and abandoned assets.
According to an astonishing fact provided by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA), “Nearly 33 million people in the United States – roughly 1 in 10 Americans – have unclaimed property.”
Last year, upon the first celebration of National Unclaimed Property Day, Colorado State Treasurer & NAUPA Immediate Past President Dave Young added, “States are required to return unclaimed property to the rightful owner no matter how long it takes. It is your money, and it should be with you. National Unclaimed Property Day [annually celebrated on February 1] will serve as an important campaign to ensure a greater number of Americans are reunited with their money and property.”
