{"id":120733,"date":"2023-07-20T22:31:21","date_gmt":"2023-07-21T02:31:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=120733"},"modified":"2023-07-20T22:31:21","modified_gmt":"2023-07-21T02:31:21","slug":"treasurer-stacy-garrity-announces-record-breaking-unclaimed-property-return-total","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=120733","title":{"rendered":"Treasurer Stacy Garrity Announces Record-Breaking Unclaimed Property Return Total"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>$273.7 million returned in Fiscal Year 2022-23 is most in a single year<\/em><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Harrisburg, PA\u00a0<\/strong>\u2014 Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced today in Treasury\u2019s historic vault that the Pennsylvania Treasury Department returned more unclaimed property in fiscal year 2022-23 than ever before \u2013 $273.7 million.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is an incredible record and I\u2019m extremely proud of the hard work done by our unclaimed property team,\u201d Garrity said. \u201cOne of my top priorities is returning as much unclaimed property as possible because it belongs to hardworking Pennsylvanians. Now that the record has been set, we know there\u2019s much more work to do! We\u2019re still working to return the more than $4.5 billion dollars in unclaimed property that\u2019s waiting to be claimed. This money doesn\u2019t belong to the state, and we want to return it to the rightful owners. I encourage everyone to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com\/ls\/click?upn=zpJ3c1ZE5WNwOWQkDkGJ6Vvk02TPQO-2FzlEFmz3zBdBfY-2F5ftH1TblI9CtF3vEUknXFxag56bUihPwJEC8O7AGQ-3D-3DjNQZ_L6zuFFtuDGTKYGXwbUb1mI8G9zGWgbwF3m8yk5rHNNlnfa7pROY7tjqcmjdJTZSoagyihrXsIMsqRqPbSm1BkaFNeCkrWayxlmhC1Gj0xxGrbjRCXWZoGVSOnc8mBT2fNl3R-2BlQQdGUqCCyHwVeRddBa0XRoiDYwVC1dMUaqyncOQT9apGoMod2-2FTGZSTZsRvUI1AGetq6THO3vproEnuhljU7HOTZ4ZPraRyMN7W-2FOFupytcBoMHeQn5MHpDFtRezZ9OGIfMRej40tSZ6fnxoctDOE6d8Uh9LmhFY1ETjE5YaLsHfiqy8xcdhAji18D80W7Xh29zKyaZUHBDAboKXkTFdlrzQOxLi3tnqOE1aIOnU42jKUQWxnR58-2BEhPapyCr3oMpn8cGg2E9usc0iDQ-3D-3D\">visit Treasury\u2019s website to search<\/a>\u00a0for themselves, their family and their friends.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A total of $273,691,170 was returned in FY 22-23. Rounding out the top five years for unclaimed property returns in Pennsylvania are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>$269,299,682 in FY 17-18;<\/li>\n<li>$227,546,706 in FY 16-17;<\/li>\n<li>$209,034,635 in FY 18-19; and<\/li>\n<li>$160,328,960 in FY 15-16.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Treasurer Garrity\u2019s efforts to increase the amount of unclaimed property returned include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The 2021 major upgrade to Treasury\u2019s unclaimed property system \u2013 the first in 15 years \u2013 which streamlined the process, allowing many claims to be approved more quickly.<\/li>\n<li>In 2022, Treasury started returning many claims via direct deposit. Previously, all returns were made as paper checks and mailed via the U.S. Postal Service.<\/li>\n<li>Also in 2022,\u00a0Treasurer Garrity launched an initiative to return unclaimed property to counties, municipalities and school districts.To date, Treasury has returned more than $15.6 million to 57 local governments, including counties and municipalities.<\/li>\n<li>Additionally, in 2022, Treasury joined MissingMoney.com, a national effort to reunite people with unclaimed property that is rightfully theirs. The website provides an easy way for people to search unclaimed property databases for 46 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the Canadian province of Alberta to see if they have any money waiting to be claimed.<\/li>\n<li>Treasurer Garrity hired Treasury\u2019s first-ever Director of Outreach and Marketing, along with a regional outreach team, to share information about Treasury\u2019s programs, including unclaimed property, in every corner of the state.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Continuing those efforts, Treasurer Garrity is working with the General Assembly to enact Pennsylvania Money Match, which would authorize Treasury to automatically return single-owner properties for living individuals valued up to $5,000. Treasury would return the property to rightful owners after a thorough identification and verification process. At least 14 other states have successfully enacted similar programs.<\/p>\n<p>The legislation needed to enact Pennsylvania Money Match, Senate Bill 24 (sponsored by Senator John DiSanto, R-15),\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com\/ls\/click?upn=zpJ3c1ZE5WNwOWQkDkGJ6etwqyithmO1QVA6SSv62BCvkf6ORv5MTF5X5BejeBfXWtsq7cCM6Z2OKsxTrH23VZq6P-2FDg-2FdpL9XP4l2Kiodv57M2mUEKdSeexpz18f2RqWzZa_L6zuFFtuDGTKYGXwbUb1mI8G9zGWgbwF3m8yk5rHNNlnfa7pROY7tjqcmjdJTZSoagyihrXsIMsqRqPbSm1BkaFNeCkrWayxlmhC1Gj0xxGrbjRCXWZoGVSOnc8mBT2fNl3R-2BlQQdGUqCCyHwVeRddBa0XRoiDYwVC1dMUaqyncOQT9apGoMod2-2FTGZSTZsRvUI1AGetq6THO3vproEnuhljU7HOTZ4ZPraRyMN7W-2FP07ekg-2BXhAHHZp6XcWL2mc4F1yfm-2B-2BGqdZIQg8CVei3LQU3JIZfkwCJZR5gN-2FbBYpYC6UC-2FQWqq0r40VCHmP9WyNPRdAdeE-2FgUSwN7VqpuPwBfqdFvSSbt92kIhHb0jDpMgSpyx28vpcV8tpWkKVqZEQaFQGfUzHRgxN5YxO3C-2Fg-3D-3D\">passed the full Senate unanimously<\/a>\u00a0in June and was referred to the House Finance Committee.<\/p>\n<p>Unclaimed property can include dormant bank accounts, abandoned stocks, uncashed checks, and more. Property is always available for the rightful owner to claim. Tangible property \u2013 often the contents of forgotten safe deposit boxes \u2013 may be auctioned after three years, but proceeds remain available to claim in perpetuity.<\/p>\n<p>Military decorations and memorabilia \u2013 often turned over to Treasury from abandoned or forgotten safe deposit boxes \u2013 are never auctioned and remain in the vault for safekeeping until a veteran or their family is found. Treasurer Garrity, a veteran herself, has returned 380 military decorations and memorabilia, including 3 Bronze Stars and 6 Purple Hearts.<\/p>\n<p>More than $4.5 billion in unclaimed property is currently waiting to be claimed. One in ten Pennsylvanians is owed unclaimed property, and the average claim is worth about $1,600.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Treasury receives unclaimed property regularly, so it\u2019s smart to search our website regularly as well,\u201d Garrity said. \u201cI recommend searching at least once a year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To search Treasury\u2019s unclaimed property database, visit\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com\/ls\/click?upn=zpJ3c1ZE5WNwOWQkDkGJ6etwqyithmO1QVA6SSv62BAdoUjgTtFZiEcYTB2zvNzOKnI2gVRds43is-2BGfYq4vSg-3D-3DwdzI_L6zuFFtuDGTKYGXwbUb1mI8G9zGWgbwF3m8yk5rHNNlnfa7pROY7tjqcmjdJTZSoagyihrXsIMsqRqPbSm1BkaFNeCkrWayxlmhC1Gj0xxGrbjRCXWZoGVSOnc8mBT2fNl3R-2BlQQdGUqCCyHwVeRddBa0XRoiDYwVC1dMUaqyncOQT9apGoMod2-2FTGZSTZsRvUI1AGetq6THO3vproEnuhljU7HOTZ4ZPraRyMN7W-2FMHAeHlNe1cEKgEc6j-2FqFUV6uowX8olatUgXc541aAm5U-2B7nHxdtsNJo8WHw3Z5VCXAdvJuq1LVV3xNXjMT96kDSn2zpY9MEiu9rFpgxMEDHdIXp7xHR4byRM2V0SVxymo0eg8DNBuOxga9JP5lewe0A3-2B22BsL4k3oezR7oKRjDw-3D-3D\">patreasury.gov\/unclaimed-property<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">STACY GARRITY, STATE TREASURER<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com\/ls\/click?upn=0E9yBRo9KWu16xTPeFOCxuc0If9Yt2x21EKI-2Bc9DrTeuhZ50l8pkhd6kk19Ks0YdWOHD_L6zuFFtuDGTKYGXwbUb1mI8G9zGWgbwF3m8yk5rHNNlnfa7pROY7tjqcmjdJTZSoagyihrXsIMsqRqPbSm1BkaFNeCkrWayxlmhC1Gj0xxGrbjRCXWZoGVSOnc8mBT2fNl3R-2BlQQdGUqCCyHwVeRddBa0XRoiDYwVC1dMUaqyncOQT9apGoMod2-2FTGZSTZsRvUI1AGetq6THO3vproEnuhljU7HOTZ4ZPraRyMN7W-2FP0KJ6kuMeepUlvP8omVQq5KRTv63amz5787GDWg-2BU008LeYn99kWABZR246C3JleuV1c5a8mU9hA8PSrsnQkQGp9j1K7yNzo7PmjTKfP07oPYVhB4MXC94UL6apB5BfhwHd596ATA8vtd9NYtVji15brO5QWCxti4ejzqvMiIG2A-3D-3D\">www.patreasury.gov<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Information provided to TVL by:<br \/>\nSamantha Heckel<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>$273.7 million returned in Fiscal Year 2022-23 is most in a single year\u00a0 Harrisburg, PA\u00a0\u2014 Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced today in Treasury\u2019s historic vault that the Pennsylvania Treasury Department returned &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=120733\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Treasurer Stacy Garrity Announces Record-Breaking Unclaimed Property Return Total<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":120734,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[69,482],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-120733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-valley","category-press-release-2"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Pennsylvania-Treasury.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120733"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=120733"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120733\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/120734"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=120733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=120733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=120733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}