Did you forget about money you’re due? Texas has $5.6 billion unclaimed. Check the list
Christmas bills piling up?
If so, this might be a good time to check to see if the state of Texas has any of your money.
State officials are, after all, holding on to $5.6 billion in cash and valuables forgotten by Texans.
State Comptroller Glenn Hegar’s office keeps a list of forgotten mutual fund accounts, mineral interest checks or royalty payments — even valuables left behind in bank deposit boxes.
It’s called the state’s unclaimed property program.
Any time someone forgets to claim money — maybe a utility deposit, a dividend or a paycheck — it is sent to the comptroller’s office. Businesses usually send unclaimed funds and property to the state program after they are considered “dormant,” which can be anywhere from one to five years.
“There is no statute of limitations for unclaimed property,” said Kevin Lyons, a spokesman for the Comptroller’s office. “Funds reported to us will remain here indefinitely until returned to their rightful owner.”
Property turned over to the state remains there as well.
Among the more unique unclaimed items in the account:
▪ Gold bars.
▪ A $1,000 bill. The government stopped printing this bill 1940s and discontinued them a couple of decades later.
▪ A Mayan vase from around 600 AD.
▪ Dental gold.
▪ A collection of items tied to the golden age of Hollywood that includes pictures and autographs of stars.
The list is at claimittexas.org. People also may call 800-321-2274 between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and workers will help them claim any property that is theirs.
In the fiscal year that ended Aug. 31, the comptroller’s office returned more than $300 million in unclaimed property. More than $3 billion has been returned since the program began in 1962.
This story was originally published December 23, 2019 at 2:17 PM.
