Many people don't know it, but there is literally billions of dollars in unclaimed safe deposit boxes, life insurance policies, stocks that have been forgotton by a long deceased relative, miscellaneous stocks, Social Security benefits, tax refunds, closed out saving deposit accounts...... the list goes on and on.

    Every state has laws that state that if any monies go unclaimed, the monies need to be turned over to the state. Every state has a department who's sole mission is to locate these people that have money coming to them but they are so undermanned and there are so many open files that these billions of dollars still go unclaimed for tens of years.

    An organization that helps states find the rightful owners is the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA).

    Usually the amounts are in the hundreds of dollars, but some unclaimed accounts are holding thousands of dollars.

    Almost every state has a web site designed to assist people in search of their money as they are required to publish names of people that are owed any money.

HERE'S HOW TO FIND OUT IF YOU ARE OWED ANY MONEY

        The easies way is to  contact the governments of states where you live, where your relatives have lived or states where you once lived. The name of the office is usually called The Unclaimed Property Division but this name may vary from state to state.

   If you have access to the web, and I assume you do if you're reading this,    go to the web site of NAUPA: http://www.unclaimed.org.

    It lists the web sites and addresses of all the states that have a web site designed to help you find any money due  to you.

    If you're a Veteran or think you're due benefits from a relative that was a veteran, contact the VA at 810  Vermont Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20420. You may also call toll free at 1-800-827-1000.

    Social Security Benefits? Go to their web site at <www.ssa.gov.>

    Maybe the IRS owes you money or a deceased relative had a tax refund due to them. Call the IRS toll free at 1-800-829-1040. You'll get an endless list of voice mail options and may have to wait 20 minutes for someone to answer but it might be worth the wait.

    Lastly, if you or a family member had a pension fund which went unclaimed due to changing jobs, or a death, don't assume that the pension is lost. The company doesn't contact you as they use the money to pay them interest while they are holding it in "limbo".

    Contact the Pension Benefit Search Program, 1200 K St, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20005.

    Don't be discouraged by the time involved in writing a few letters or contacting each individual state. It might mean a big payoff for you!

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    GOOD LUCK!