Many people are unaware that they might have unclaimed property in California.
This could be anything from forgotten bank accounts to uncashed checks, or even insurance refunds.
If you suspect that you might have unclaimed property, this guide will help you navigate the process of finding and claiming it. In this detailed step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through how to search for unclaimed property, review the results, and successfully claim what is rightfully yours.
Step-by-Step Guide to Claiming Unclaimed Property in California
1. Search for Unclaimed Property
First, navigate to the California unclaimed property website by visiting sco.ca.gov. This will take you to the California State Controller’s unclaimed property page.
Click on “Search for Unclaimed Property.”
You will see fields for name, address, city, and property number. You don’t need to input your address unless you want to narrow the search to a specific address. For those who have lived at multiple addresses, you can simply enter your name.
Let’s use a common name, such as Jose Lopez, as an example.
Upon searching, you’ll see a list of individuals with that name, along with their addresses, the amounts associated with the properties, and property indicators, which will often be marked as cash.
2. Review the Search Results
Scrolling through the results, you might find entries like “Jose Lopez” with properties reported by entities such as Farmers Insurance Exchange, with descriptions like “refunds.” To view more details, click on the first entry.
Here, you’ll see the business contact information, the type of property (e.g., wages, payroll, and salary), and the date it was reported.
Answering Common Questions
If you’re searching using a property number, enter it in the search field rather than a name. Not all entries will have a property number, but when they do, you can copy and paste it into the property number field and hit “search properties” to get specific results.
3. Claim Your Property
To claim a property, start by adding the property to your claims cart.
Click “claim properties” in your cart, and you’ll see fields where you need to confirm your relationship to the property (e.g., owner, business, government investigator).
Choose “owner” if applicable.
Provide your personal information, including first name, last name, social security number, date of birth, address, and email.
Click “create claim” to submit your claim.
That’s all there is to it!
Claiming unclaimed property in California is a straightforward process if you follow the right steps. By using the California State Controller’s unclaimed property website, you can easily search for, review, and claim any unclaimed assets. If you’re curious about whether you have unclaimed property, it’s worth taking the time to search. It could result in finding funds that you didn’t even know existed.
For more information on unclaimed property, check out our guides on how to claim unclaimed property, whether unclaimed property is a trap, and if unclaimed property is legit.
If you have any questions or need guidance on another state, feel free to reach out. Thank you for reading, and we hope this has been helpful. If you have further inquiries or suggestions for other topics, please let us know.