Did you know that New York is sitting on billions of dollars in unclaimed funds? It’s true! You might just have money waiting for you to claim. To find out, you can use a searchable database to see if any of it belongs to you.
Feel free to dive into this database to search for your unclaimed funds. It’s a simple and effective way to find out if the state owes you money.
Every year, the USA Today Network in New York compiles its very own unclaimed funds database using data from the Comptroller’s Office. All you need to do is type in a name, and the database will display any matches.
- The USA TODAY Network’s database reveals amounts owed as small as $3, tracing back to 1985.
- The state Comptroller’s Office has its own site, which displays funds as little as $20.
There are several methods to claim your money in New York:
- Visit the Comptroller’s website.
- Send a claim through the mail to: The New York State Comptroller’s Office of Unclaimed Funds, 110 State St., Albany, NY 12236.
- Call (800) 221-9311.
- Reclaiming funds is completely free of charge.
- Each year, more than 10 million searches are conducted.
- Interest on interest-bearing accounts is provided for five years, currently at 1%.
- If money isn’t claimed after several years, it goes into the state’s general fund to support various programs and services.
- Approximately 45% of the money originates from old bank accounts, with financial institutions required to transfer dormant funds to the state.
- With 42 million accounts, the Comptroller’s Office returns over $1.5 million daily.
- The largest amount ever returned was $5.2 million from a stock claim.
- The largest amount still unclaimed is about $8 million for an estate.
- 70% of claims are for sums less than $100.
For answers to other frequently asked questions about unclaimed funds, visit the Comptroller’s Office website.