Bountiful treasures await this Thanksgiving

During the annual Thanksgiving Day festivities, State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald knows his office has a bounty of its own and the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt could provide one more reason to give thanks.
“I encourage everyone to visit GreatIowaTreasureHunt.gov to look for their lost treasure,” said Fitzgerald. “Those who take the time to search the list may find they have one more thing to be thankful for. Anyone may find money they never knew they were owed.”
Over $368 million is waiting to be claimed in the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt. The program has returned over $253 million in unclaimed property to more than 592,000 people since Fitzgerald created it in 1983. Unclaimed property refers to money and other assets held by financial institutions or companies that have lost contact with the property’s owner for a specific period of time. State law requires these institutions and companies to annually report unclaimed property to the state treasurer’s office. The assets are then held until the owner or heir of the property is found. Common forms of unclaimed property include savings or checking accounts, stocks, uncashed checks, life insurance policies, utility security deposits and safe deposit box contents.
“We are holding unclaimed property for individuals from all around the state,” Fitzgerald stated. “I encourage everyone to visit the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt website to look for their lost treasure.” Visit GreatIowaTreasureHunt.gov to begin your search. Keep up with all of our programs on social media (Facebook and Twitter @IowaTreasurer).