Are you richer than you think? How to find out—and what experts say to do if you are

State governments hold billions of dollars in unclaimed property, including dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, unclaimed insurance proceeds, and stock dividends. The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators estimated that approximately one in ten Americans has unclaimed property waiting to be claimed. Property is typically turned over to the state after five to seven years of inactivity, depending on the asset type and state law. Individuals can search for unclaimed property through the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators' MissingMoney.com database or their state's unclaimed property office.

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