Someone in York County hasn't claimed a $119,279 check for stock proceeds, and the state is holding thousands of other items for Yorkers who might not realize they're entitled to them.
The Pennsylvania Treasury is undergoing its annual campaign to publicize the names on the Bureau of Unclaimed Property's list.
The names of local residents recently added to the list will appear in York's newspapers on Friday, said Pennsylvania Treasury Press Secretary Elizabeth Foose.
For privacy reasons, the state lists only names, last known address and whether the property to be claimed is worth more or less than $100, she said.
The $119,000-plus check is the most valuable of the property Yorkers are owed.
The state is required to publicize the names once per year. Foose said the state returned $1.5 million to York residents through the program last year, but there was $7.6 million worth of unclaimed property available to be claimed.
The property available in York this year is worth $11.2 million, with more than 103,000 unclaimed items intended for York residents, she said.
The list includes both residents and businesses entitled to property. For example, both Dentsply International and Shipley Energy made the list.
Most common: The most
common types of unclaimed property are uncashed checks, Foose said. Far more rare are the tangible goods, which are generally items found in dormant or expired safe deposit boxes. Those items, she said, range from coins and jewelry to a stuffed piranha. They're stored in an old vault in Harrisburg.
There is no time limit for people to claim financial assets, such as checks, but tangible items are eventually sold, she said. The money from the sale of the item is available in perpetuity, "so you could claim something from your great-grandmother."
Forwarding required: Financial institutions, businesses, municipalities and organizations are required to forward unclaimed property to the state, Foose said.
Uncashed checks and other property are generally forwarded after at least one year has passed since the last contact with the property's owner, she said.
State Treasurer Rob McCord estimates that about 10 percent of Pennsylvanians have something waiting to be claimed.
The list of names to be published represents only a portion of the residents entitled to property.
Originally published on http://www.yorkdispatch.com/news/ci_18222795
