TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Billions of dollars in unclaimed property is up for grabs in Florida, and some of it could be yours.
The Florida Department of Financial Services has $2.5 billion in unclaimed money sitting in an account—more than $531 million of which belongs to Tampa Bay residents.
Unclaimed money can come from a variety of things, including abandoned bank accounts and forgotten utility deposits, as well as property that’s been abandoned in a safe deposit box, such as watches, jewelry, coins, currency and stamps.
“During the holidays, everyone can use a little extra cash, and an unexpected check from the State of Florida may help make things a little brighter this year,” said Florida’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis.
One in five Floridians has unclaimed property waiting to be claimed, according to Patronis.
Here’s a county-by-county breakdown of the unclaimed property available in Tampa Bay:
- Citrus $12.54 million
- Hardee $1.94 million
- Hernando $17.14 million
- Highlands $10.25 million
- Hillsborough $164.79 million
- Manatee $38.3 million
- Pasco $44.6 million
- Pinellas $137.65 million
- Polk $52.84 million
- Sarasota $51.49 million
To check if you have unclaimed property:
- Go to www.fltreasurehunt.gov and enter in your information.
- Fill out and sign your claim form. You must provide a copy of your current identification reflecting your current mailing address and documentation proving your ownership of the account. Be sure to read carefully.
- Mail the completed claim form with the required documentation to the address indicated on the form.
Better Call Behnken wants to help you get any of your unclaimed money. You will be able to call into our 8’s Army phone bank on Dec. 1 between 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to find our if Florida owes you.
