Newsroom

McRae: $50 Million Returned!

By Treasurer David McRae
Rarely is an elected official in the business of giving money back to citizens, but that’s not true at your State Treasury. Since arriving in office, our team has returned $50 million to Mississippians through our unclaimed money program. What is it and how can you access some of this cash? Read on to find out.

Unclaimed money is property you or your family have lost track of at some point. It could be an energy bill refund that was sent to the wrong address, a long-forgotten CD at your local bank, or an inheritance you were unaware you had. If no one claims these funds for five years, the money is sent to the state. Then, your Treasury is responsible for finding the rightful owner and returning the cash to them.

My team has been aggressive in doing this, which is probably why we’ve broken two consecutive annual records and returned such a large sum of money. The way I see it: this was never the state’s money to begin with. It was always your money and you deserve access to it. Moreover, returning unclaimed money has been our way of helping stimulate the state’s economy during these difficult times.

Understanding this, we’ve made it easier than ever to claim your cash. Last year, our team simplified the claims process and made it available online. With this new e-claims system, you can visit Treasury.MS.gov, locate your unclaimed property, and begin the claims process immediately from there (no notary required!)

Our website is one worth checking because about one in 10 people have unclaimed money listed in their name. In some cases, it’s $100 or less; in others, the total exceeds $1,000. Whatever the sum, the cash is free to claim.

I am proud of the $50 million we’ve paid out to Mississippi so far, but there are still millions left to return. Please visit Treasury.MS.gov today. Enter in your name, your family members’ names, your church’s name, or your business’ name to start your search. See something? Claim it, and we’ll get started verifying your return.