Unclaimed property: $25M returned to Floridians in December

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The push to return unclaimed property or money in Florida yielded $25 million returned to state residents, according to Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. The CFO said Tampa and St. Pete residents took back more than $6 million last month.

In December 2021, $25 million was returned to 10 regions in Florida, including Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Better Call Behnken tackled unclaimed property last month with a phone bank initiative to get Tampa Bay residents their money back. Patronis joined Shannon Behnken throughout the phone bank on Dec. 1, reuniting Floridians more than $230,000 in Tampa Bay, according to Patronis’s office.

According to the Division of Unclaimed Property, more than $358 million was returned to Floridians in 2021.

“December was a big month for Florida as we returned more than $25 million back to Floridians and closed out a huge year with $358 million in unclaimed property returned in 2021. As we begin the new year, now is a great time to see if you or anyone you know has unclaimed property,” Patronis said in a statement.

The state CFO encouraged Floridians to check if the state owes them some money online, through Florida Treasure Hunt, a government site.

To see if the state owes you some cash:

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.

By region, Patronis said Tampa and St. Pete residents reclaimed $6.4 million. Here’s a breakdown of how the money was split up in December.