COLUMBIA, S.C. — If you are uncertain on whether or not you have unclaimed property, now may be a good time to check, as the state of South Carolina currently has more than $750 million in unclaimed property.
February 1 is National Unclaimed Property Day and State Treasurer, Curtis Loftis announced that 615,000 new properties have been added and reported to the State's Unclaimed Property Program.
“We know that approximately 1 in 10 Americans have unclaimed property. Each year billions of dollars get returned to State Treasurer’s Offices across the country,” Treasurer Loftis said in a news release. “It’s our job to return those funds to the rightful owners, and I am encouraging individuals, businesses, charities, schools, and other organizations to check our website to see if we have funds waiting for you.”
The State Treasurer says that companies who obtain unclaimed property for South Carolina residents must hand over the funds to the Unclaimed Property Program, which is administered by Treasurer Loftis.
Once necessary adjustments are made to the funds by the staff, they are then added to the unclaimed property database so the public can begin the process of searching and claiming these funds at treasurer.sc.gov.
Currently, across the state of South Carolina, there more than $750 million in unclaimed property, according to the State Treasurer.
Examples of unclaimed property:
- Dormant bank accounts
- Uncashed checks (including paychecks)
- Unclaimed insurance proceeds
- Forgotten utility deposits
- Uncashed dividend checks
- Unexchanged shares of stock
Unclaimed property does not include real estate or vehicles.
The State Treasurer’s Office acts as the keeper of these funds until the rightful owners come forth and make a claim. The office says that since 2011, more than $260 million has been returned to South Carolinians.
If you are a South Carolinian with possible unclaimed property, it is free of cost to check the database on the State Treasurer's Office website and search for or claim your funds.