Photo: Getty Images
There has been a lot of talk about the stimulus checks that went out to millions of Americans, each of which required debates in Congress and compromises in the legislation, but it turns out that there is billions of dollars in cash out there just waiting to be claimed, no strings attached, and some of it might be in your name.
It's part of the country's unclaimed funds - money or property that belong to people but banks or the government can't track them down to give it to them. Most often, these funds are uncashed paychecks, forgotten bank accounts, stocks, dividends, security deposits and tax refunds, and according to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, one in ten Americans has some money owed to them.
While the amount might be less than $100, it could also be much more. In fact, in 2019, the average amount claimed was $1,780. So how do you see if there's any cash in your name? It's easy - just head to Unclaimed.org, which has links for the unclaimed property program in each state. Search for yourself to see if you have any unclaimed funds. Be sure to check your maiden name if you've legally changed your last name, and also look for your last name with just your first initial to cover all the bases. Look in any state where you've lived or worked. Additionally, you can head to MissingMoney.com to search multiple states at once.
The process if you find money in your name varies state by state, but it essentially just involves proving your identity and that you are the rightful owner of the cash. Once you do that, they'll send a check your way.
Make sure you look up your family and friends as well - maybe they'll give you a finder's fee if it turns out they've got a gold mine coming their way!