“Unclaimed Money” was the main topic on today’s “Good Morning America” show. This segment told the public that they should be searching for money that may have been placed in a forgotten bank account of their own, or from a deceased family member.
According to the Examiner, it’s not unlikely that after a person passes away, there is a money account that no one knew about beforehand. And this is not just about checking or savings accounts.This includes unclaimed insurance policies, a safe deposit box and a life insurance policy.
The federal government handles savings bonds, that are usually forgotten about. Savings bonds were very popular decades ago. They were promoted to invest in America, by investing in the bonds. When bonds were invested in, they were each registered by name, so they can be traced very easily to a relative.
An expert on finding unclaimed money, Mary Pitman, was brought on the “Good Morning America” show this morning. Pitman is the author of the book The Little Book of Missing Money. Pitman’s book shows tricks and ways to find unclaimed money of your own, or from your deceased relatives. It includes links to websites, along with the most unusual places to find forgotten money.
There are three important tips that Pitman says are essential to the process of finding unclaimed money. The first task, is to make a list of all of your own accounts. This will help your own heirs find accounts of yours. Keep this with estate paper work and other essential documents. The next step is to look for money in deceased relatives’ names. There are many websites that will aid to this task. The last tip, which is not an easy thing to do, is to look for life insurance policies. This can be done by contacting the state insurance office where your loved one resided.
