The names of more than 30,000 Nebraskans and former Nebraskans are included in the 2013 Unclaimed Property Report to be published in Nebraska newspapers in March and April, as required by State law, State Treasurer Don Stenberg said today. The names were added to the database of unclaimed property owners in calendar year 2012 through late January 2013.
In all, the State Treasurer’s Office is holding more than $125 million for more than 350,000 Nebraskans and former Nebraskans, Stenberg said.
“Our database is constantly being updated, so I urge Nebraskans to check the 2013 report in their weekend newspapers and check online at www.treasurer.org. The search is well worth the time and effort. Many people are surprised at what they find and are grateful for the service,” Treasurer Stenberg said. He emphasized that the Treasurer’s Office does not charge for the service.
Property included in the 2013 report is valued at more than $17.8 million. The ten largest properties, ranging from $80,000 to $230,000, are identified by name in the report. The owners of the top ten properties are listed in Douglas, Lancaster, and Sarpy counties. The tabloid contains 103 properties over $10,000.
The Nebraska Unclaimed Property statutes were enacted into law in 1969. Since then, more than $141 million has been paid out to rightful owners. So far in 2013, more than $1.7 million has been paid with January being a particularly productive month.
Stenberg said the Treasurer’s Office is making a strong effort to locate the owners of especially large properties that have been on the unclaimed property rolls for some time. In January alone, the Unclaimed Property Division returned $1.2 million to rightful owners, including claims of $101,000 to an Omaha couple for a real estate refund, $130,000 to a Lincoln woman from her deceased brother’s insurance, and $66,000 split between two brothers from their deceased uncle’s savings account.
“In the 2013 report we feature several Nebraskans who received unclaimed property through our office in the past year. Money they didn’t know they had went to pay bills, buy season basketball tickets, repair a sewer line, celebrate students’ grades, and improve a rural community. We are happy to see owners make use of the money for everyday needs, and we are happy to play a small role in making it possible for families, schools, and communities to fulfill dreams with these unexpected resources,” Stenberg said.
The tabloid will be published in daily newspapers beginning Sunday with the Omaha World-Herald and the Scottsbluff Star-Herald. It will be published in daily newspapers according to the following schedule:
- · March 10 – Omaha World-Herald, Scottsbluff Star-Herald
- · March 23- Norfolk Daily News, Beatrice Daily Sun, Fremont Tribune, York News-Times.
- · March 24 – Columbus Telegram, Lincoln Journal Star.
- · April 5 – Holdrege Citizen, McCook Gazette.
- · April 6 – Alliance Times-Herald, Hastings Tribune, Kearney Hub, Sidney Sun-Telegraph.
- · April 7 – Grand Island Independent, North Platte Telegraph.
Readers are encouraged to look for their own names as well as the names of relatives, businesses, and friends in the tabloid publication. Each name is listed by last-known county of residence. Readers who find their names or the names of their businesses or of deceased relatives should use one of the following methods to file claims:
- Check the Nebraska State Treasurer’s website at www.treasurer.org. Type a name in the box on the home page, or click on the Search for Unclaimed Property link in the left navigation pane. For amounts under $300, owners may be able to file their claims online through the website.
- Call the Unclaimed Property Division at 1-877-572-9688 toll free outside of Lincoln or 402-471-8497 in Lincoln. Phone calls are taken between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays.
- Complete the claim form found inside the front cover of the tabloid and mail to the State Treasurer’s Office, Unclaimed Property Division, 809 P St., Lincoln, NE 68508-1390. That form will need to be notarized.
