Louisiana Newspapers to Publish Unclaimed Property Listings This Week

The following is a Press Release from the Louisiana Department of the Treasury:

Thousands of Louisianians will discover surprise cash in their local newspaper this week, just in time for the holiday season. Starting Tuesday, November 29^th through Friday, December 2^nd, the new Unclaimed Property receipts of the Louisiana State Treasury will be published in newspaper legal notices across the state, according to State Treasurer John Kennedy.

"I encourage everyone to check the listings for your name, and the names of your family members, friends and neighbors, too," said Treasurer Kennedy. "The Treasury holds over $500 million dollars that needs to be returned to its rightful owners. No matter how small the amount, I want to get it back into your pocketbook."

Unclaimed Property is money held by businesses and other entities that goes unclaimed and must be turned over to the state. It includes savings and checking accounts, uncashed payroll checks, certificates of deposit, stocks and dividends, insurance proceeds, oil and gas royalty payments, utility deposits and other funds. When a business cannot locate an individual the Unclaimed Property belongs to, usually because of a wrong address, the money is turned over to the state for safekeeping.

One in six individuals has Unclaimed Property, and the average refund is $300 to $400. Louisianians have much better odds finding unclaimed money listed with the state than they would of winning money playing the lottery.

Since 1972, the Unclaimed Property program has returned nearly $250 million to over 200,000 Louisiana citizens.

To search the entire Unclaimed Property listings online, visit www.LATreasury.com. Claim forms and additional information are also available on the website. Alternatively, to search for Unclaimed Property or to be reunited with your found money by telephone, call toll-free 1-888-925-4127 weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to start the claims process.