Berks Countians have more than $68.7 million in unclaimed property that the Pennsylvania treasurer is looking to return.
“One of my top priorities as state treasurer is to return unclaimed property to Pennsylvanians in every corner of the commonwealth,” Treasurer Stacy Garrity said in a release. “I’m glad to safeguard these funds, but this money doesn’t belong to the state — it belongs to our hardworking taxpayers. Every dollar can make a huge difference for families right now, so I encourage everyone to search our website for themselves and their loved ones to see if they’re owed any unclaimed property.”
The Treasury Department returned the most unclaimed property ever over two consecutive years, returning more than $500 million to the rightful owners, she said.
Since taking office in January 2021, Garrity said the department has returned more than $880 million in unclaimed property.
More than 1 in 10 Pennsylvanians is owed unclaimed property, and the average claim is worth more than $1,000.
Over the past four years, $16.1 million has been returned to Berks Countians, she said.
The department is working to return of total of more than $5 billion in unclaimed property.
She said more than 40,000 Pennsylvanians will receive letters this month notifying them that unclaimed property will be returned to them as a part of the Pennsylvania Money Match program. Pennsylvania Money Match authorizes the department to automatically return single-owner properties worth up to $500 after a identification and verification process. The department completes this process quarterly.
Pennsylvanians are still encouraged to search the department’s unclaimed property database regularly at patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property to see if property is available for them to claim. The office also is running a listing in the May 20 Reading Eagle.
Unclaimed property includes things like dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, forgotten stocks and insurance policies.
State law requires businesses to report unclaimed property to Treasury after three years of dormancy.
Unclaimed property can also include tangible items, such as jewelry or other valuables stored in abandoned safe deposit boxes. Tangible property may be auctioned by Treasury after three years of searching for a rightful owner. All auction proceeds areavailable in perpetuity for a rightful owner to claim.
The department often receives military decorations and memorabilia as unclaimed property and works diligently to find the veterans who earned them or their families. Military decorations and memorabilia are never auctioned.
Garrity’s office has returned 491 military decorations and memorabilia, including 12 Purple Hearts, one Gold Star and three Bronze Stars. About 480 military decorations remain in Treasury’s vault, including four associated with Berks.
Anyone wanting to help state officials find the rightful owners can go to patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property/medals.
Anyone searching for unclaimed property who needs assistance can call 800-222-2046 or email tupmail@patreasury.gov. State legislative offices also can help.
