Unclaimed Funds Might Be Waiting For You: Claim Them Now!

Alexis Weik

September 2, 2022

Unclaimed Funds

New York State is holding over $320 million in unclaimed funds that belongs to Suffolk County, and some of it may be yours! Click here to see if there are unclaimed funds in your name.

Why does New York State have unclaimed funds?

Banks, insurance companies, utilities, investment companies and many other businesses are required by State law to turn over inactive accounts to the State. The Office of the State Comptroller holds these funds in trust, serving as a custodian of these funds until they can be claimed by their rightful owners. 

What are some types of unclaimed funds?

Unclaimed funds are money or the rights to money that have been dormant or forgotten. Some common examples include: savings accounts, checking accounts, uncashed checks, telephone/utility deposits, rental security deposits, wages, insurance benefits/policies, safe deposit box contents, mortgage insurance refunds, stocks and dividends, mutual funds, certificates of deposit, trust funds, and estate proceeds.

How do I find out if there are unclaimed funds in my name?

You can perform a search by visiting the State Comptroller's website. Type in your name and click "submit" to see if there are any funds in the database associated with your name. A last name is required but the first name can either be a full name or just an initial. If your name does not come up right away, the Comptroller's Office recommends some of the following search tips:

* Narrow the results by entering an entire first name and/or middle initial, or expand your search by using the first initial of your first name.

* Check that you did not enter a space before or after any part of the name. Spaces will affect the results

* Eliminate spaces or punctuation within the last name (ie O'Conner - Oconner). Try a few variations of spelling you last name (common misspellings).

* If filtering with "city," try previous and current cities/towns of residence.

* City names may be abbreviated (ex. Brooklyn or BKLYN). Try variations of city name such as New York City, NYC, New York, or Manhattan.

* Company names may be abbreviated (ex. AT&T or A T & T or Amer Tel & Tel).

If the search does not turn anything up but you still think there are unclaimed funds in your name, you can call the Office of Unclaimed Funds Communication Center at 1-800-221-9311.