Do you have unclaimed funds in NY? Find out using our database

There’s nothing better than finding a $20 bill on the sidewalk – or rediscovering $20 in unclaimed funds you didn’t realize belonged to you.

The Office of the New York Comptroller manages millions of dollars in unclaimed funds each year – or money that was never collected from bank accounts, estate proceeds, court funds, stocks, security deposits or other compartments of a person's or business' financial life that may have fallen through the cracks.

Look up if you’re owed unclaimed funds

So how do you know if any of this money is rightfully yours? You can look it up online with a few clicks.

Visit our database at data.stargazette.com/unclaimed-funds/ and search your name.

The database will identify if you are owed more than $3, dating back to 1985. You will not see the exact funding amount associated with your name, for privacy reasons.

You must visit the Comptroller's Office website to submit a claim for any identified funds, or submit a claim through the mail to The New York State Comptroller's Office of Unclaimed Funds, 110 State Street, Albany, NY 12236.

The Comptroller’s Office maintains a similar database on its website. If your name shows up on the USA Today Network’s database but not the Comptroller’s, you'll need to call the Comptroller’s Office at 800-221-9311 to file a claim.

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How much is collected in unclaimed funds in NY?

In fiscal year 2022-2023, the Comptroller’s Office collected just over $1 billion in unclaimed funds in New York – the highest annual amount yet, according to the office.

Nearly half of that was eventually claimed, at $406 million for the year (from April 2022 to March 2023) – and the office is seeing a major increase in the amount of people seeking the return of those funds. The office processed 690,000 claims in 2022-2023, up 30% from the previous year.

So far in 2023, nearly $200 million has been returned to claimants. On average, $1.5 million is returned every business day, Comptroller’s Office spokesperson Kristina Naplatarski said.

“Comptroller (Thomas) DiNapoli’s Office of Unclaimed Funds continues to improve and streamline its operations (and) strives to raise awareness about the program,” she said.

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So where is this money hiding?

Banks, insurance companies and other entities are required to report dormant accounts to the state comptroller, and alert the owner of those accounts by mail. If the account owners do not claim the money, it is turned over to the Comptroller’s Office.

How much could I get back?

Don’t expect a huge payout.

Most claims amount to less than $100, and the average claim amount is $50.

What are my options for submitting a claim?

New Yorkers can submit claims or find out more about unclaimed funds online, by phone or at Comptroller’s Office public outreach events.

Find more information about how to submit a claim at osc.state.ny.us/unclaimed-funds.

You can reach the office at 800-221-9311.

To see a calendar of outreach events, go to osc.state.ny.us/unclaimed-funds/outreach-events.

This article originally appeared on New York State Team: NY unclaimed funds: Are you owed money? Use our database to find out