When owners or lost heirs fail to communicate an interest in an asset over a specified number of years known as the dormancy period, those left holding unclaimed assets: banks, stock brokers and transfer agents, employers and life insurance companies - transfer the funds to a government trust account in a process known as escheat.

Government agencies are holding over $40 billion in unclaimed property and missing money. Cash and other financial assets are considered abandoned when contact with the original owner or heir is lost. This can occur following a name change after marriage or divorce, an unreported address change or expired mail forwarding order, incomplete or illegible records, and, most commonly, upon the untimely death of a family member.

In addition to those that have neglected to claim funds and benefits to which they are directly entitled, millions of people are unaware they’re eligible to collect unclaimed property and abandoned assets owed deceased relatives, who passed on without leaving an up to date will or complete financial road map for their heirs.

As an example, more than one-quarter of all life insurance policies go unclaimed on the death of the insured. Why? Unbeknownst to survivors, it is up to family members to notify the insurance company when a policyholder dies - virtually no effort is made to find lost heirs and beneficiaries.

Along with billions of unclaimed dollars held by federal courts and government agencies themselves - including the IRS (income tax refunds), Bureau of Public Debt (savings bonds), Social Security Administration (benefit checks), HUD (mortgage refunds), PBGC (pension benefits) and FDIC (insured bank accounts) - here these funds await your claim!