February 1 is National Unclaimed Property Day – It’s Time to Claim Your Money
January 30, 2024
By State Treasurer Curtis Loftis
As State Treasurer, I have many responsibilities that involve our state’s finances and public money, but one of my favorite duties centers on your money. There’s a good chance it could easily become one of your favorites, too.
The State Treasurer’s Office has almost a $1 billion dollars in unclaimed funds – that belong to South Carolinians. One of those lucky owners might be you. Last year alone, our office returned more $36 million to their rightful owners. This year, we’d like to return even more.
You may be thinking, “I know exactly where all my money is,” but people are often surprised – and delighted – to learn that we have some money for them, too.
February 1st marks National Unclaimed Property Day, highlighting the nation’s $70 billion in unclaimed funds available for claim. In fact, one in seven Americans, nearly 33 million people, have unclaimed funds of some kind. The average claim in South Carolina is around $500.
Uncashed checks, dormant bank accounts, overpayments, utility security deposits, insurance proceeds, stocks, certificates of deposits and annuities are just some of the types of unclaimed funds available to be claimed.
I hope this year on National Unclaimed Property Day, you’ll take a little time out of your busy schedule to see if we are holding any funds for you. It couldn’t be easier to do.
Visit treasurer.sc.gov and click on Unclaimed Property to start your search. If you find funds that belong to you, you can start the claim online. Next, you’ll receive an email with instructions detailing what to submit to finalize your claim, and funds are typically returned within a few weeks.
Do you see why I like this part of my job? Why not start your search today and let Unclaimed Property become your new favorite, too.
About the author
Curtis Loftis is the State Treasurer of South Carolina. He also serves as the administrator of South Carolina’s Unclaimed Property Program and is credited with returning more unclaimed funds than all his predecessors combined. Visit treasurer.sc.gov to begin your search.
