LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas residents have left a lot of money lying around.
State Auditor Dennis Milligan reminds residents of The Great Arkansas Treasure Hunt and the state’s millions of dollars in unclaimed property.
“Unclaimed property can be any number of financial items, such as unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts, certificates of deposit, unused rebate cards – you name it,” Milligan said. “We currently have a total of $444.1 million in the Great Arkansas Treasure Hunt program owed to citizens.”
The auditor’s office unclaimed property division deals with the state’s high volume of unclaimed accounts.
“Statistically, one in seven people nationwide have unclaimed property. In Arkansas, the percentage is greater at one in four,” Milligan said. “We are required to return property to its rightful owner.”
It’s the office’s job to connect owners with accounts abandoned by, for example, a death or someone moving away. Since taking the oath of office on Jan. 10, Milligan said his office had returned $1.4 million in unclaimed cash.
Arkansas residents can check for in-state accounts at Claim It Arkansas. Property in other states can be found at Missing Money. The auditor’s office may be reached at 501-682-6000.