Unclaimed Property: $313 Million Returned To Floridians

TALLAHASSEE, FL — Floridians looking for easy money may want to check out the state’s Division of Unclaimed Property. More than 513,000 people did last year, cashing in on an estimated $313 million they had coming to them.

Those figures come from Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, who announced on Tuesday record-breaking claim numbers for the 2016-17 fiscal year. The number of claims paid out last year represented a double-digit rise over last, Patronis reported. The total dollar amount paid out in 2016-17 topped any year in the program’s 56-year history, he added.

Get the Patch newsletter and alerts in your inbox.

“I am impressed with the incredible accomplishments of the unclaimed property program, and I look forward to its continued success in the future,” Patronis said in a Tuesday statement. “It’s easier than it might seem to lose track of an account, and I want all Floridians to know that we’re working to return their hard-earned funds back to them.”

The unclaimed property program was created in 1961. Since then, about 5 million people have cashed in on money owed to them. The money and property in unclaimed accounts comes from businesses, such as banks, insurance companies and utilities. Under law, most businesses are required to turn over dormant or abandoned accounts to the state after a set time period if no communication with the account owner has occurred, Patronis’ office explained.

Patronis estimates one out of five Floridians has an unclaimed account in their name. Floridians can search unclaimed property by going online to www.FLTreasureHunt.org.

Image via Shutterstock