Treasurer Garrity: Unclaimed Property is Waiting for Those in the Halloween Spirit
Nearly $7.7 million awaits those with ‘scary’ monikers
Harrisburg, PA - Treasurer Stacy Garrity said today that nearly $7.7 million is owed to Pennsylvanians who are in the Halloween spirit – those with a name or business name that includes the words Halloween, ghost, haunt, candy, costume, scary, trick, treat, eerie, creepy, grave, or bones.
All told, more than $4 billion is waiting to be claimed, and Garrity urged every Pennsylvanian to search Treasury’s database to see if any of that cash belongs to them.
“There are no tricks when it comes to returning unclaimed property, but one in ten people who search the database may find a treat that belongs to them. I want to make sure every Pennsylvanian knows how to search for and claim what is rightfully theirs. We’re glad to safeguard this money, but it belongs in the pockets of Pennsylvanians. The average claim is about $2,000, and that can really make a difference for families across the state.”
Pennsylvania State Treasurer, Stacy Garrity
Treasury’s unclaimed property website recently completed its first major system upgrade in more than 15 years — making it easier than ever to file a claim. The updates include shorter processing time for many claims, online authentication and submission of some claims, and an improved checkout system.
Money comes to Treasury as unclaimed property in accordance with the state’s unclaimed property law, which requires companies to send property to Treasury after a specified amount of time, usually three years. Unclaimed property can include tangible items, such as the contents of safe deposit boxes, or funds from dormant bank accounts, abandoned stocks, uncashed checks, and more.
Property held for safekeeping by Treasury will always be available for the rightful owner to claim. Tangible property may be auctioned after approximately three years, but any proceeds from a sale will be kept in perpetuity until an owner is found.
The only items never sold are military decorations. So far this year, Treasurer Garrity has returned more than 225 of these items to veterans and their families. About 500 pieces remain in Treasury’s vault.
To learn more about unclaimed property or to search Treasury’s database, visit patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property.
If you need help with a claim or have any questions, contact Treasury’s Bureau of Unclaimed Property at tupmail@patreasury.gov, free of charge.
