S.C. Treasurer Curtis Loftis announces return of $35 million in unclaimed funds to South Carolinians

State Treasurer Curtis Loftis announced today that $35.3 million in unclaimed property has been returned to South Carolinians in the fiscal year that ended June 30.

“We appreciate our partners in the media, followers on social media and community organizations that help us spread the word about unclaimed property,” said Treasurer Loftis. “I always encourage people to search their names at least twice a year, as we’re always receiving new properties.”

Millions of dollars are transferred to the Unclaimed Property Program annually by companies that cannot locate the rightful owners. The State Treasurer’s Office acts as custodian of those funds until those owners can be located. Currently, the State Treasurer’s Office has more than $700 million in unclaimed property for individuals, businesses and organizations across the state.

Since taking office, State Treasurer Curtis Loftis has returned over $260 million in unclaimed funds, more than all previous state treasurers combined. To see if there is any unclaimed property waiting for you, your family or business, visit treasurer.sc.gov.

“At a time when so many South Carolinians have been impacted by this 100-year pandemic, I am grateful for the hard work and dedication of our staff to reconnect so many people with their missing funds,” Loftis added. “Getting these funds back to the rightful owners has been a priority of mine since 2011, and I continue to be humbled by the people who share their stories about how these funds have changed their lives for the better.”

When funds are returned to people, they are asked to complete a brief survey where they can share feedback on their customer service experience as well as how these funds may have helped them. A sampling of recent responses includes:

• “I really needed some new tires for the car but didn’t have the cash to afford them. I put it in God’s hands, and he answered my prayers. Thank you for getting the money to me fast.” Rhonda from Anderson, SC

• “My niece found money that belonged to my deceased brother. It was at a time when my family was collecting donations to pay for his funeral. He died unexpectedly and had no life insurance. This unclaimed money was a great help to pay for his funeral expenses. Thank you, Unclaimed Property Program for sending the funds when you did!” Rosalee from Aiken, SC

• “Being a small business owner through this past year has been tough to say the least. Finding out I had over $1,000 in unclaimed money was a blessing.” John from Green Pond, SC

• “As a family of two school teachers, every penny helps. This money came near the end of our school year and arrived just in time to use for our children. The process was so easy, and we have shared it with many of our friends and family.” Larry from Lexington, SC

• “Funds were in a “Squirrel Saver’s” account started when my son was in the 1st Grade and (if I remember right) he made monthly deposits. Once he got into middle school, we forgot about it, and after bank mergers, the account was closed due to inactivity. They transferred the funds to you and now my son (19) has the funds back to use towards college!” Donovan from Summerville, SC

• “The funds came through an unclaimed PayPal account. It was a very nice surprise. We never knew the money was even there. A friend saw the State Treasurer on TV and that he had mentioned our church by name. Thank you!” Calvary Baptist Church in Pacolet, SC

• “It was $30,000, and the Treasurer reached out to us. You were proactive and that is awesome. $30,000 is a lot of money especially during a pandemic. It will go towards education, house repairs and other things. Thank you.” Roger from Myrtle Beach, SC