COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The results are in from the “find forgotten funds” competition: a battle between Ohio’s Division of Unclaimed Funds and the Michigan Department of Treasury to see which department could reunite the most residents with their unclaimed cash.
It all started as an added incentive, leading up to the big game between the Buckeyes and Michigan. Michigan may have won the football game, but it appears Ohioans took home more unclaimed money.
Michigan had more searches for unclaimed funds at 240,000, compared to Ohio’s nearly 227,000. But Michigan only filed about 19,000 claims to take back their missing money, while Ohioans filed more than 33,000.
While the competition came to a close on Nov. 25, Ohioans can still search to see if they have any unclaimed funds from inactive checking or savings accounts, last checks from employers or overpayments.
In order to check, Ohioans need to follow three steps on the Division of Unclaimed Fund’s website.
“The first step is searching your name, to see if you have a claim,” said Susie Wagner, Program Administrator at the Division of Unclaimed Funds. “Step two, is to review that documentation. Provide the supporting documentation we need… And step three is just to send it to us.”
So far in November, the division has paid out more than $3.4 million in unclaimed funds. But billions of dollars still remain – the division holds onto that money until it is claimed.