Hopes to seek approval to implement best-practice data match initiative

October 8, 2024 (Heber Springs, Ark.) – Auditor of State Dennis Milligan spoke to members of the Heber Springs Rotary Club today about his role as state auditor and an initiative he hopes to seek in the upcoming legislative session that will help his office return more money to citizens.

“I’m hopeful we can find legislative sponsors for my Data Match Initiative,” Milligan said. “We have been following the practices of 17 other states who have already implemented a data match program in their state and the results have been impressive.

“What this would do is allow my office – once we have verified a claimant’s information is legitimate – to automatically send a check to them for their unclaimed property without them having to file a claim,” he explained. “This would only be for small claims that are able to be fast-tracked through our administrative system. You wouldn’t believe how many people have $10 or $20 being held in unclaimed property with my office.”

Unclaimed property can consist of any financial asset deemed abandoned or dormant for several years. It includes, but is not limited to, checking or savings accounts; utility deposits that werenot returned; overpayments; life insurance proceeds; stock or mutual fund shares, etc. In some cases, it includes tangible items left behind in safe deposit boxes.

“We have over $400 million dollars that belongs to current or former Arkansans, and I’m trying to get that money off our books and back into the people’s hands where it belongs,” Milligan said, adding that any person or business could have unclaimed property.

To check the unclaimed property database, people may visit www.claimitar.gov. Milligan wants to remind people his office will ask for personal information to ensure someone is not making a fraudulent claim. Checks can take up to 90 days to be processed.

Auditor of State Dennis Milligan speaks to members of the Heber Springs Rotary Club about the Great Arkansas Treasure Hunt, the state’s Unclaimed Property program. Citizens can search the database at www.claimitar.gov to see if they have any unclaimed property. 

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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, anddeputy prosecutors. The office also administers the state’s Unclaimed Property Program, The Great Arkansas Treasure Hunt. Learn more at https://auditor.ar.gov/.