Do you have unclaimed property (or cash) waiting in Colorado? Here's how to check

Sarah Kyle, Fort Collins Coloradoan
·3 min read

Colorado might have some of your money, and it wants you to take it back.

The state treasury department is charged with the safekeeping of unclaimed property — from baseball cards left in a safe deposit box (see below) to uncashed checks. Currently, the department has more than $1.5 billion in "cold, hard cash" waiting to be claimed, Treasurer Dave Young said in a news release. It's known as the Great Colorado Payback.

Here's how to see if some of that might be yours, and what to know about unclaimed property in Colorado.

What do you mean by 'unclaimed property'?

Here's one example: A former Colorado resident was reunited with collectable baseball cards while visiting family for Thanksgiving. He had put those cards in a safe deposit box in Crested Butte in 1998, according to a news release from the department, and "thought these were gone forever. I never imagined they would be sitting in a vault at the Colorado State Capitol."

According to the state, unclaimed property can include:

  • Checking and savings accounts

  • Certificates of deposit

  • Overpayments

  • Insurance checks

  • Payroll checks

  • Utility refunds

  • Money orders

  • Uncashed checks

  • Dividends

  • Stocks

  • Bonds

  • Contents of safe deposit boxes

  • "And more"

In Larimer County alone, more than $40 million in cash, 324 tangibles and more than 8.7 million shares are available, according to a map of available property on the department's website.

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How to search for unclaimed property in Colorado

One way is to keep an eye on your mailbox, as the state treasury department says it recently mailed "proactive checks" to some individuals as well as notifications alerting people to go through an online process.

"If the check has your name on it, please cash it! We have already confirmed that you are the owner," the department says on its website.

If you get a mailed or emailed notification from the department alerting you to unclaimed property in your name, visit colorado.findyourunclaimedproperty.com and click the "get started" button — it's right under the state's tally of how much unclaimed property it's returned (more than $625 million, as of Feb. 2) — and search your name as listed on the notification.

You can also go through that process if you didn't receive a notification but want to see if there's anything that might be yours.

And, finally, you can call 303-866-6070 or 1-800-825-2111 (toll free).

What happens next?

If you think there's a match, click the green "claim" button next to the entry and then "continue to file claim" to start the process. (If you're more of a visual learner, the treasury department has step-by-step instructions on how to claim unclaimed property on its website.)

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Who should check for unclaimed property in Colorado?

Individuals, corporations, schools, hospitals and small businesses could all have unclaimed property.

Is there a time limit to claim my property?

No — and you won't have to pay to claim it, either.

Do other states have unclaimed property?

They sure do. Head to MissingMoney.com to do a nationwide search or find a specific state's website.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: How to see if you have unclaimed property (or cash) in Colorado