Staff Reports
Some Floridians got a little richer in September, courtesy of a state program focused on returning unclaimed property to its rightful owners.
Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis announced that his office returned more than $40 million to citizens last month, combining for north of $2 billion since the Republican Cabinet member took office in 2017.
But there’s even more waiting to be claimed, Patronis said in a statement accompanying the news. The state holds about $2.7 billion worth of property that doesn’t belong to it, whether it be from unclaimed bank accounts, safe deposit boxes, or insurance proceeds — some of the most common sources.
Patronis has made it a priority to lower that number, however, and frequently reminds Floridians to query government databases to see if they have a windfall awaiting them. Businesses are also encouraged to do the same. The online database is here.
“I’ve been proud to highlight the great work my team has done to return every cent of unclaimed property back to its rightful owner,” Patronis said in a statement.
Most of the returned property in September flowed to dense-population areas, with Miami, Tampa & St. Petersburg and Orlando topping the list of returns by region. Still, a million or more went out to citizens and businesses in West Palm Beach, Fort Myers/Naples, Jacksonville and Pensacola. Meanwhile, Tallahassee, Gainesville and Panama City all had six-figure returns.
Unclaimed property is usually held for five years before a business or agency turns it over to the Department of Financial Services. In the time before it’s claimed, the state puts the money into the State School Fund to support public education.
“Citizens have the right to claim their property, at no cost, any time, regardless of the amount,” states the Florida Treasure Hunt website.
