State Treasurer Clint Zweifel returns more than $39.5 million in Unclaimed Property in fiscal year 2013 setting records

JEFFERSON CITY – State Treasurer Clint Zweifel (ZWY-ful) announced today that he has returned more than $39.5 million in Unclaimed Property to more than 135,000 accounts in fiscal year 2013. These totals broke the records for property and accounts returned. Treasurer Zweifel also had the most Unclaimed Property in program history turned over to his office for return, more than $100 million in fiscal year 2013.

“Breaking records is great, but what really matters is getting this money back to the individuals, businesses, local governments, schools and religious organizations it belongs to,” Treasurer Zweifel said. “Unclaimed Property is a promise to Missouri taxpayers. I promise to protect these assets and that my team will do all it can to return them every day. I have staff proactively calling individuals with property, I hold events to increase awareness and help begin the claims process, and I have ensured that my office is using technology to make it easier to find, claim and understand Unclaimed Property.”

Treasurer Zweifel has now returned more than $150 million in Unclaimed Property since 2009, which amounts to 42 percent of all Unclaimed Property ever returned. Unclaimed Property was created in 1985, and became part of the State Treasurer’s office in 1993. Treasurer Zweifel’s previous records for dollar amount and accounts returned, set in fiscal year 2012, were $38.2 million in Unclaimed Property to 130,000 account owners.

Treasurer Zweifel currently holds more than $760 million in Unclaimed Property for 4.5 million account owners that may be searched for and claimed at www.ShowMeMoney.com. There are 64 accounts with more than $100,000.

Amount of Unclaimed Property still to be returned by region (counties):

Kansas City Region (Bates, Carroll, Cass, Clay, Henry, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Platte, Ray): $113.3 million in more than 864,000 accounts.

Mid-Missouri Region (Audrain, Benton, Boone, Callaway, Camden, Cole, Cooper, Dent, Gasconade, Howard, Maries, Miller, Moniteau, Montgomery, Morgan, Osage, Pettis, Phelps, Pulaski, Saline): $27.3 million in more than 307,000 accounts.

Northeast Missouri Region (Adair, Chariton, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Linn, Macon, Marion, Monroe, Pike, Putnam, Ralls, Randolph, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, Sullivan): $8.3 million in more than 82,000 accounts.

Northwest Missouri Region (Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Caldwell, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Livingston, Mercer, Nodaway, Worth): $10.4 million in more than 104,000 accounts.

Southeast Missouri Region (Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard, Wayne): $16.5 million in more than 196,000 accounts.

Southwest Missouri Region (Barry, Barton, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Hickory, Howell, Jasper, Laclede, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Oregon, Ozark, Polk, Shannon, St. Clair, Stone, Taney, Texas, Vernon, Webster, Wright): $39.7 million in more than 445,000 accounts.

St. Louis Region (Crawford, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, St. Charles, St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Warren, Washington): $230.8 million in more than 1.5 million accounts.

About Treasurer Zweifel’s Unclaimed Property

State law requires financial institutions, insurance companies, public agencies and other business entities to turn over assets to Treasurer Zweifel that belong to a customer, client, employee or other owner if there have been no documented transactions or contact with the owner for five or more years.  Most Unclaimed Property consists of cash from bank accounts, stocks, bonds and contents of safe deposit boxes that have been abandoned. It also can include uncollected insurance policy proceeds, government refunds, utility deposits and wages from past jobs. Treasurer Zweifel does not handle real property such as land and houses or certain types of personal property such as cars and boats. There is $760 million in Unclaimed Property maintained by Treasurer Zweifel. Treasurer Zweifel never charges for the return of Unclaimed Property.