Millions of dollars worth of unclaimed money are kept in the U.S. state treasuries. The money is not known to citizens who could claim it. This is why the property has remained untouched for many years. Unclaimed money can come from relatives who have died, or it may be from an unclaimed safety deposit box.
Although the sums involved won’t make your life much easier, they can help you get out of a tricky spot. The average unclaimed asset has a value of more than $100. You might check to see if any unclaimed property is available to you or someone close to you. UnclaimedMoney can help you locate unclaimed property and ensure you get it as soon as possible.
Why do people leave money unclaimed?
It’s not normal for people to leave their money untouched. People might go for money if they don’t know the amount is worth it. The majority of the time, the money is not claimed because:
- Someone did not claim a refund
- The account holder has died, and there is no information about their next of Kin
- After a tenant has moved, a landlord can’t reach them.
- The owner forgot to deposit their safety deposit box
- An error meant that insurance money could not be sent to the correct owner.
Rhode Island considers property abandoned or unclaimed if it isn’t claimed within three years. More than 300,000 Rhode Island residents have money they can claim in the state treasury.
What are the different types of unclaimed property in Rhode Island?
Before you file a claim in Rhode Island for unclaimed property, you must familiarize yourself with the various types of abandoned assets. The rules will vary depending on which financial investment is being claimed. The unclaimed property in Rhode Island consists of:
- Savings and checking accounts
- Insurance payouts for life
- Uncashed checks or securities
- Unpaid wages
- Safety deposit boxes: Contents
No matter how long you leave them unattended, assets such as vehicles and real estate do not become unclaimed. If there is enough time and no one claims the inherited cars or real property, they pass to the next person in the line of intestate succession.
This overview will show you the different types of property that you can claim.
How do I find out if I am a holder of unclaimed property?
It is difficult to determine if there are unclaimed funds in Rhode Island. Although you can search multiple databases for the property related to your name, they won’t give results that are 100% accurate. This is because no centralized database compiles the information in an easily-useable format.
Two methods can be used to find unclaimed property in Rhode Island:
- A complete list of people who have not claimed their property can be found here
- Search engine for the Office of the General Treasurer Unclaimed Property Division
Even though the official list page says otherwise, it is possible for people not on the list to have unclaimed property still. You can search other sources if you cannot find your name on this list or if the Unclaimed Property Division does not list you as the owner of the abandoned property.
UnclaimedMoney provides a more thorough search engine that uses information from multiple databases. We’ll help you find the money you need to claim from the Rhode Island Treasury.
How to Find Unclaimed Money in Rhode Island
You can search the Rhode Island Treasury website to locate unclaimed property. The database is available to anyone, even non-residents of Rhode Island. This is how the search engine can be used to identify and claim the property.
- Visit the Office of the General Treasurer’s website
- Click the Search button.
- Please enter your first and last names and any additional information that will help you narrow down your search.
- Click Claim next to any result you believe to be a match.
- Press View Claim Properties located above the list
- Click on the appropriate claimant relationship and then press File Claim.
- Enter your personal information, including your Social Security Number.
- Submit
After you have completed these steps, Rhode Island Treasury will begin reviewing your Claim. Once your Claim has been processed, they will contact you.
How can I avoid unclaimed money scams?
There are always scams when money is involved. Unclaimed property can appear legitimate if you don’t know what it is and how it works. These scams will trick you into giving out your personal information or money.
To locate unclaimed property, you can use UnclaimedMoney or visit the Rhode Island Treasury website. Once you are sure that you have something to claim, you can contact the Treasury or use UnclaimedMoney to claim it.
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