NJ Has $6.6B In Unclaimed Cash, Property: How To Get Your Cut

NEW JERSEY — Billions of dollars in property have gone unclaimed in New Jersey, and some of that missing money might belong to you. But there are simple ways to check whether you have any unclaimed financial assets, and to jumpstart the process of retrieving them.

Unclaimed property includes, but isn't limited to, uncashed checks, inactive stock and brokerage accounts, and unclaimed safe deposit boxes.

According to new numbers released by the state treasury, there is $6.6 billion in unclaimed property in New Jersey currently. The state will hold onto this property in a trust fund until it is claimed, so that businesses, banks, and other financial institutions don't take ownership of it.

Residents can search for their assets through the state Unclaimed Property Administration, or through a nationwide database.

Searching For Unclaimed Property In New Jersey

In New Jersey, recovering unclaimed property starts here.

You will need to enter some information, like your name, to determine if you have any unclaimed property. If you determine there is unclaimed property that belongs to you, the website will take you through the process of claiming it.

If your search turns up no results but you believe the UPA is holding unclaimed assets of yours, you can request for the agency to execute a manual search. Allow up to two weeks for a response. If officials successfully locate the property, they'll email you a claim form, which will detail the located property and what documentation is necessary to establish ownership.

Filing your claim online is the fastest way to do so. But the UPA also has the following mailing address:

State of New Jersey

Unclaimed Property Administration

P.O. Box 214

Trenton, NJ 08625-0214

ATTN: Claim Section

Find more info in the FAQs.

New Jersey is part of MissingMoney.com, a national site that makes it easy to search for unclaimed property and cash. The site also allows you to search for unclaimed assets in other states.

Just enter your first and last name or business, then city and state, and hit search.

People can search for unclaimed property, file a claim using the site’s instructions, and after the claim is verified, receive their unclaimed property. Anyone can visit the site, which is endorsed by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators.

Types of Unclaimed Property

Nationwide, one in seven people has some form of unclaimed property — such as inactive checking accounts, missed paychecks and utility refunds — according to the National Association of State Treasurers. That property is held by the state, but owners have the right to reclaim their money, the organization said.

While many people know they might have an old checking or savings account, there are several other types of unclaimed property out there that might be less well-known.

This includes stocks, bonds, and brokerage accounts, life insurance proceeds, dividends and interest payments, uncashed checks, refunds, safe deposit boxes, annuity accounts, escrow distributions and even gift certificates.

This can happen when a company closes, merges or consolidates.