The Vermont Treasurer’s Office has a record $94.5 million in unclaimed property and Vermont Treasurer Beth Pearce wants to return it to Vermonters. In the one-month span Nov. 10-Dec. 10, 2019, the Treasurer’s Office returned $413,455.60 to 1,966 claimants, according to a Dec. 11 news release. With the holiday season underway, Vermonters can easily search the state unclaimed property database to claim their funds for holiday shopping, charitable giving, or to save for goals in the new year.
“Last year, we returned $6 million of unclaimed funds to citizens, businesses, and nonprofits,” said state Treasurer Beth Pearce. “In the last month, we’ve paid out more than $400,000 in claims, putting money in many Vermonters pockets as we enter the holiday and charitable giving season. We want to make sure you double check our databases to see if you have unclaimed property.”
The Treasurer’s Office’s unclaimed property program is a consumer protection initiative to benefit all citizens. No commissions or fees are charged through this free service. Vermonters can easily search the state unclaimed property database by visiting MissingMoney.Vermont.gov or by calling 1-800-642-3191.
“Unclaimed property” describes assets like uncashed checks, lost valuables, forgotten security deposits, misplaced insurance policies, investments or estates.
The contents of abandoned safe deposit boxes are also held in the Treasurer’s Office unclaimed property vault. There are 530,000 individual properties waiting to be claimed.
With over $94 million waiting to be claimed, Vermonters should be aware of for-profit enterprises that claim they will locate and recover lost property for a fee.
Treasurer Pearce encourages all Vermonters to check the state’s unclaimed property database, which is free, before accepting services from other entities.
