ByUnclaimed Money MN—Tricks for Claiming Your Money Back
Interested in finding out more about unclaimed money in Minnesota? You are in the right place! The United States reports over $58 billion in unclaimed property, and a large portion of it is in the custody of the Minnesota Commerce Department (MDC). Considering all possible money sources—uncashed checks, dormant bank accounts, or uncollected insurance benefits—the chances are some of the abandoned money belongs to you and is waiting for you to claim it. Even if it doesn't make you rich, it may ease your financial struggles or pay for that trip you have been dreaming of. Let DoNotPay help you by presenting the easiest ways to claim your forgotten funds.
What Constitutes Unclaimed Money in Minnesota
Unclaimed money is any property whose current holder has been unable to contact the rightful owner for a certain time. After that period—known as the dormancy period—passes, the company or financial institution holding the money is required to turn it over to the Minnesota Commerce Department, which declares it abandoned.
The Minnesota Commerce Department never takes ownership of the money. It saves it until the rightful owner appears and claims it, provided they have the required documentation. The funds are available indefinitely, regardless of the amount of time passed since they became abandoned.
The MDC will put minimal effort in trying to contact the owners and inform them of their lost funds. It puts the burden of locating the owners on holders, who are expected to do whatever they can to find them.
If they fail, the property may stay in the custody of the state indefinitely. The only solution is to take matters into your own hands and claim the property yourself. Thanks to DoNotPay, the search for your unclaimed money has never been easier.
What Are the Types of Unclaimed Money in Minnesota?
One of the main reasons for millions of dollars in unclaimed property in Minnesota is that people don’t know what to look for. Every state has its own regulations about what constitutes unclaimed money. Being informed will help you begin your search and increase your chances of claiming what is yours. Here is a table of the most common types of unclaimed assets in Minnesota with corresponding dormancy periods:
| Property Type | Dormancy Period |
| Savings and checking accounts | Three years |
| Dividends and securities | Three years |
| Life insurance policies | Three years |
| Bank checks/MO | Three years |
| Traveler’s checks | 15 years |
| Safety-deposit box contents | Five years |
| Non-bank money orders | Seven years |
| Wages, utility deposits, and refunds | One year |
Lost Money Minnesota—Why Does Money Become Unclaimed?
The amount of unclaimed money in Minnesota begs the question of how the property becomes unclaimed in the first place. Financial institutions end up holding on to someone’s money for several reasons. The most frequent are:
- People move without updating their bank, landlord, a former employer, or any institution that issues checks on their address
- Someone forgets to pick up their last paycheck or utility deposit
- A relative dies without leaving a will or naming the beneficiaries of their life insurance
- A person forgets that they have unclaimed money, is too embarrassed to claim it, or thinks that they have lost their right to it
Tips on How To Prevent Your Money From Becoming Unclaimed
Since funds can become unclaimed so easily, a bit of responsibility and awareness contributes to preventing your money from becoming abandoned. Here are some simple yet effective tricks to always have your property under control and within reach:
- Keep your bank account information, life insurance policies, safety-deposit box contents, and other documents in a safe place and inform someone you trust about their whereabouts
- Make sure to update the information about the beneficiaries of your will and /or life insurance policy
- Cash and deposit your checks without delay
- Keep your accounts active by making occasional transfers and respond to inquiries from financial institutions regarding the state of the accounts
- Use gift cards before they expire
- Inform all financial institutions that hold your assets if you change your name or address
How To Find Unclaimed Money in Minnesota on Your Own?
One of the ways to conduct the unclaimed property search in Minnesota is by using the MissingMoney website, which offers free access to Minnesota unclaimed money database.
Here is a step-by-step guide through the process:
- Access the website
- Type in your last name and resident state, then hit Search
- Provide your first name and city to narrow down the results. Hit Search
- Check the box on the left side of the property that you want to claim
- Hit the Request Claim Form button
- Pay attention to the questions on the screen and check if the property you are trying to claim corresponds with your personal information
- Click on the Yes, I can claim button, if everything checks out
- Fill out the State Claim Inquiry Form
- Submit the form
After you finish the process, the government will contact you in case they need some additional documents. Those may include personal information, like your phone number, email address, or Social Security number. You may also have to prove that you reside at the address that you provided. If you are claiming an inheritance, you will have to prove your connection to the deceased relative.
If you or your relatives have lived in other states, we advise you to look for unclaimed property there as well. You can access the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) website to select a state and follow the instructions to find your missing funds.
How To Find Unclaimed Money in MN With the Help of DoNotPay
DoNotPay provides the most efficient way of claiming your lost funds. Instead of searching through every state separately, DoNotPay offers access to all state and federal databases, so you can find and claim your funds in a matter of minutes.
You only have to take a few easy steps:
- Access DoNotPay from your
- Click on the Missing Money feature
- Type in the required information
You can provide your previous addresses, and DoNotPay will include them in the search. If there is a match and you have the right to unclaimed funds, use the Claim My Property feature. We will even file a claim on your behalf. Don’t wait and use this incredible service to find your missing money today!
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