Make a Springtime Clean Sweep & Check for Unclaimed Property

After hunkering down through a Michigan winter, residents are ready to get organized and tackle home improvement projects now that spring has finally arrived. This could mean tidying up closets, washing windows, painting the garage — or cleaning up loose ends by searching for some long-lost cash in Unclaimed Property!

The Michigan Department of Treasury has millions of dollars in lost or forgotten assets that includes dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, valuables left in safe deposit boxes and stock certificates. These properties were all turned over to the state once they were determined to be abandoned as required by law.

The Michigan Department of Treasury is the custodian of these assets and reunites them with their owners — or the owners’ heirs — when they are rightfully claimed.

To find out if you have cash or property, check Michigan’s Unclaimed Property website, which provides enhanced search options and the ability to upload verifying documentation easily and securely.

Individuals are encouraged to search their name, a maiden name, or the name of a business or non-profit. ​The search is free.

Claimants may also call 517–636–5320 between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Nearly 33 million people in the United States — 1 in every 10 — has what the industry calls unclaimed property: financial accounts or items of value where the owner has not initiated any activity for several years. Common examples include unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts, and unused rebate cards.

For businesses, corporations, nonprofits, public entities and other organizations holding unclaimed or abandoned property, instructions on how to prepare and easily submit your report and remittance online can be found on Michigan’s Unclaimed Property website as well.

For more information about other services provided by the state Treasury Department, go to www.michigan.gov/treasury or follow @MITreasury on Twitter. ~