Do You Need Money for Christmas? You Might Have Unclaimed Money — The Amount May Surprise You!

• Thousands of Hispanics could have unclaimed money without realizing it.
• These funds come from banks, insurance policies, taxes, or state agencies.
• Locating these resources is simple and free if you follow the correct steps.

Thousands of residents, including many Latinos, may have forgotten accounts or pending payments they never collected.

In the United States, when a financial institution, company, or state agency cannot locate the owner of the money, those amounts are transferred to state custody as unclaimed money.

The process to recover these funds is free, secure, and accessible to anyone who wants to verify whether they have an outstanding balance or if a deceased relative left unclaimed resources.

What Is Unclaimed Money and Where Does It Come From?

Unclaimed money includes any payment that has not been collected by its original owner.

This includes overdue wages, inactive bank accounts, forgotten pensions, insurance policies, tax refunds, FHA mortgage refunds, funds from investments regulated by the SEC, and even deposits from banks or credit unions that have closed.

A person can also request funds belonging to a deceased family member if they are a legal heir.

Most of these resources are held by state governments until the rightful owner claims them. This is why it’s important to check every state where you’ve lived, as accounts can remain unclaimed for years.

• In California, for example, the State Controller’s Office holds more than $15 billion in unclaimed money.
• In Orange County, more than $700 million is waiting for its rightful owners, according to Controller Andrew Hamilton.

For many families, this money could help pay bills, tuition, or basic expenses.

How It Works in New York

The New York State Comptroller’s Office reported that in 2025 it returned more than $435 million in unclaimed funds.

Many residents automatically received a $250 check, without additional paperwork, thanks to a new law that simplifies the process for small amounts.

Even so, thousands of people still need to check whether they have pending accounts.

Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli reported that the state returns more than $2 million daily in forgotten resources.

Banks, courts, and insurers are required to report inactive accounts, allowing the money to be tracked and ultimately returned to its owners.

How to Safely Claim Money From the Government

Searching for unclaimed money is simple:

• Just go to the state’s official website and enter your last name or business name.
• You can filter the search by city and ZIP code.
• If a match appears, the system allows you to select “Claim” and follow the steps.
• The process to obtain unclaimed funds is free and has no time limit.

If the claim is approved, the corresponding authority sends the account details and the exact amount.

The system updates daily, so it’s recommended to check it frequently.

Tips for Finding Unclaimed Money

1. Check specific databases from the Department of Labor, PBGC, HUD, IRS, SEC, or FDIC depending on the type of fund.
2. Search in every state where you previously lived.
3. Verify whether there are accounts belonging to deceased relatives.
4. Keep proof of identity and address handy to speed up the process.

What’s Next

Since millions of dollars remain unclaimed, the recommendation is to regularly review state databases.

The process can provide unexpected income that eases a family’s budget, especially during times of high expenses.

The transparency and constant updates of these portals offer a real opportunity for more Latino residents to recover resources that rightfully belong to them as unclaimed money.