HARRISBURG, PA \u2014 Pennsylvania Treasury has contacted nearly 64,000 residents who may be entitled to more than $95 million in unclaimed property, part of an effort to return a statewide pool that has grown to more than $5 billion.<\/p>\n
The letters identify people with property valued between $500.01 and $10,000, according to Treasurer Stacy Garrity. Recipients must file a claim with Treasury rather than receiving the money automatically.<\/p>\n
The outreach represents an average of roughly $1,485 in potentially unclaimed property for each person contacted, based on the $95 million total and nearly 64,000 recipients. Individual amounts vary within the range identified by Treasury.<\/p>\n
Recipients can initiate claims at patreasury.gov\/unclaimed-property or contact Treasury at 800-222-2046. The department reported that many of the claims may qualify for its Fast Track process, which can reduce processing time when a claimant provides a Social Security number while filing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve already seen an uptick in claims, but there\u2019s still over $5 billion we\u2019re working to return,\u201d Garrity said.<\/p>\n
Unclaimed property held by Pennsylvania can include dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks and forgotten stocks. Treasury also receives physical property, including collectible coins, jewelry and savings bonds, often from abandoned safe deposit boxes.<\/p>\n
Treasury estimates that more than one in 10 Pennsylvanians is entitled to some portion of the roughly $5 billion currently under its custody. The average claim is worth more than $1,000.<\/p>\n
Garrity\u2019s office reported returning more than $1 billion in unclaimed property since she took office.<\/p>\n
Residents do not need to receive one of the current letters to determine whether Treasury is holding property for them. Anyone can search the state\u2019s database at patreasury.gov\/unclaimed-property.<\/p>\n
Pennsylvanians who previously lived in other states can also search MissingMoney.com for potentially unclaimed property held elsewhere in the country.<\/p>\n