Unclaimed money totals over $115,000
August 16, 2024 (Little Rock) – Auditor of State Dennis Milligan, whose office administers the state’s unclaimed property program, the Great Arkansas Treasure Hunt, recently located more than $115,000 for nonprofit organizations across the state.
“In advance of National Nonprofit Day, I asked my team to prioritize finding unclaimed property belonging to nonprofit organizations within the state,” Milligan said. “During this search of our database at ClaimItAR.gov, I found more than $115,000 belonging to nonprofits that serve our communities.
“I mailed letters to several nonprofits throughout the state on Aug. 7 notifying them of their unclaimed property,” Milligan continued.
National Nonprofit Day is August 17th.
To help recognize National Nonprofit Day, Milligan delivered a check worth $40,858.10 to United Methodist Children’s Home in Little Rock on Aug. 13.
“We’re eager to work with Arkansas nonprofits to get their money back to them where it belongs,” Milligan said, adding that organizations can visit the state’s unclaimed property database at www.claimitar.gov to see if they have money to claim.
Unclaimed property consists of financial accounts, including (though not limited to): abandoned checking or savings accounts; utility deposits that were not returned; overpayments; life insurance proceeds; stock or mutual fund shares, etc. In some cases, it includes tangible items left behind in safe deposit boxes.
Milligan explained that when owners abandon an account – typically through a move or a death – and the original company (e.g., a bank, an electric company, etc.) cannot locate the owner, the money or properties from the abandoned account are deemed “unclaimed” and submitted to his office.
“I am required by state law to try to return these unclaimed funds to their rightful owners,” Milligan said. “Since I took office in January 2023, we’ve returned more than $52 million to citizens through the Great Arkansas Treasure Hunt.”
To see if you or your organization might have unclaimed property in the Great Arkansas Treasure Hunt, visit www.claimitar.gov.
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Dennis Milligan was elected Auditor of State in 2022. The Auditor’s office is responsible for ensuring payroll for more than 700 state government elected officials, prosecuting attorneys, and deputy prosecutors. The office also administers the state’s Unclaimed Property Program, The Great Arkansas Treasure Hunt. Learn more at https://auditor.ar.gov/.