Need some extra spending money for the holidays? Check with the State of California.
The Golden State has more than 70.4 million unclaimed properties worth a total of $11.9 billion, according to the State Controller’s Office.
“Nearly one in three visitors to our website finds property in their name, the average payout was $433 last year,” Controller Betty Yee said in a statement. “It is well worth the few minutes it takes to check if we are safeguarding any property for you.”
In September, the State Controller’s Office reconnected 22,000 people with $41 million worth of property, including $2.7 million in Los Angeles and more than $950,000 in Sacramento.
You can visit www.claimit.ca.gov to see if the state has any unclaimed property belonging to you, and also to submit claims for long-lost money or valuables. You can also call 800-992-4647 for assistance Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., except for state holidays.
The state’s Unclaimed Property Program dates back to 1959, and is designed to prevent businesses and other entities from keeping properties belonging to a customer with whom they have lost contact.
According to the State Controller’s Office, common types of unclaimed property include bank accounts, wages, stocks, bonds, uncashed checks, insurance benefits and safe deposit box contents.
Andrew Sheeler covers California’s unique political climate for The Sacramento Bee. He has covered crime and politics from interior Alaska to North Dakota’s oil patch to the rugged coast of southern Oregon. He attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
