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Virginia citizens check to see if they have unclaimed money, property

The Virginia Department of Treasury wants to return money you may not know you had, as part of its Unclaimed Property Division.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Department of Treasury wants to return money to citizens who may not know they had as part of its Unclaimed Property Division.

On Wednesday, May 15th and Thursday, May 16th, the state treasury’s VA Money Search team will be at the Virginia Beach City Treasurer’s office located in the Municipal Center Building at 2401 Courthouse Drive to help citizens start the claim process if there are any unclaimed funds in their system.

“Citizens don’t have to worry about, ‘Oh I never got my utility deposit where is it? I had stocks where did they go?,’” said PR and Marketing Manager Diana Shaban. “This is actually like a centralized lost and found for our citizens.”

Virginia Beach Resident Caroline Tetterton showed up to the treasurer’s office Wednesday and recovered an old life insurance policy from her mother, who has since passed.

“There’s money out there that people haven’t claimed, so if something is as easy as this process was why not come and check?" Tetterton said.

Residents can run their name or their family member’s name through the database online or in person and then file a claim if there is a hit.

“I’m really glad that it exists because you never know what you forgot along the way, what got closed out, what might be sitting in a savings account that you forgot about,” said resident Cathleen Van Nostrand.

According to VA Money Search, the mission of the Division of Unclaimed Property is to protect the property interests of citizens through the Unclaimed Property Act and Escheats Generally Statute though returning the property to the rightful owner.

For example, if a company sent a check that was never cashed or perhaps a loved one died and there’s money he or she never collected. This state program will return the money to you.

“By law, they can’t keep those funds on their books,” said Shaban. “They actually have to turn it over to the Virginia Department of Treasury Unclaimed Property Division.”

VA Money Search returned $79.6 million in the fiscal year 2018 and $73 million already during the 2019 fiscal year. Staff members will travel all over Virginia this coming week. Events are below:

  • Wednesday, May 15-Thursday, May 16 - City of Virginia Beach Treasurer's Office
  • Thursday, May 16 - Shenandoah County TRIAD
  • Friday, May 17 - City of Colonial Heights Employee Benefits Fair

More information can be found on their website www.vamoneysearch.org

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