Maricopa County Residents Have $45 Million in Unclaimed Assets

Arizona has always been a migratory state, with many people moving here and leaving. Plus, job disruptions and unusual tax payments are common lately.

Against this backdrop, it’s not surprising that some people might have left money on the table in the form of uncashed payroll checks, tax refunds, rebates, returned utility deposits, abandoned bank accounts, dormant safe-deposit boxes and more.

The Arizona Department of Revenue said it has identified more than $45 million in unclaimed assets tied to more than 159,000 people with last known addresses in Maricopa County, and the agency is trying to pair rightful owners with their funds.

Some property goes unclaimed because the entity holding the funds has an outdated or incorrect forwarding address or the customer dies with no family members aware of the assets.

The department will return property to owners who submit a claim and can show a driver’s license or other valid documentation linking them to the account.

The department’s unclaimed property unit returned more than $48 million during the prior fiscal year, which ended June 30, 2020.

For more information including how to file a claim, go to www.azdor.gov/unclaimed-property. Visitors are directed to an affiliated website, missingmoney.com.

That website allows unclaimed-property searches in 39 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Alberta. Other Canadian provinces and states, including California, aren’t part of the network.