Mariposa News - Genealogy by Carolyn Feroben - FAMILY MONEY WAITING FOR YOU?

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FAMILY MONEY WAITING FOR YOU?

While searching for ancestors, why not look for some unexpected family money! State Controllers hold unclaimed monies that are just waiting to be claimed.
This is now quite easy with the internet searches you can do. Be sure to look in all states where you or your family members have lived. There is more than
25 billion dollars waiting to be claimed in the US. This site will allow you to go to each state site and search:
http://www.unclaimed.org/mainframe.asp?VisitorType=owner
Information at the California State Controllers Office reads:
The State of California is holding more than $5.1 billion in Unclaimed Property. These assets have been turned over to the State for safekeeping by banks, businesses and other organizations as required by law. There is no charge to file a claim for Unclaimed Property. Last year, more than 328,000 accounts were returned, and the average amount received was almost $900! You can use this Web site to search for property you may have lost or forgotten. There are 8.2 million accounts, so there is a good chance that you, a friend or family member has unclaimed property. Here is the California site for your search:
http://scoweb.sco.ca.gov/UCP/

When I first searched the California site I was amazed to find that there was unclaimed insurance money for two of my Aunts (in their 80's)- These insurance policies had been purchased by their parents back in the 1920's and had never been claimed- ! It was more than just the "found money" that meant something to us, it was the feeling of receiving a gift from their parents that had died almost forty years earlier.

Like all searches, you should check back at least once a year. I usually do it around Thanksgiving time. I have had lots of fun telling my family, friends, and even neighbors that there appears to be something special waiting for them in the State Controllers office. I point them to the online site and let them decide if this is "theirs". For folks who do not have internet access, I just print and provide the information and forms necessary to file their claims. All of
this can be printed directly from the website. My Aunts were just amazed at the wonders of the internet- Aren't we all!

I hope you find something!

Best,
Carolyn Feroben
Mariposa County History and Genealogy Research
http://www.mariposaresearch.net