Jimmy Patronis says happy holiday hunting for unclaimed property in Florida

The 2024 Holiday Money Hunt is underway in Florida after Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis formally launched the tradition.

The program encourages Floridians and businesses to see if they have unclaimed property in the state. The state currently has an estimated $3 billion in unclaimed property. The Holiday Money Hunt is designed to push state residents to do the research and see if their property is unclaimed in state coffers.

“I’m thrilled to kick off the 2024 Holiday Money Hunt and raise awareness about unclaimed property in Florida. The holiday season is a time when a little extra cash can go a long way, and an unexpected check from the state of Florida could brighten the festivities for many,” Patronis said.

Patronis and the Department of Financial Services are using social media platforms such as Facebook and X accounts to raise awareness not just during the holidays, but into the beginning of 2025.

“Over the next two months, I’ll be working hard to spread the word about this incredible opportunity. Did you know that one in five Floridians has unclaimed property just waiting to be discovered? It only takes a few minutes to check — visit FLTreasureHunt.gov and see if some holiday cheer is waiting for you,” Patronis said.

Patronis will use his X account and his Department’s account to bring attention to unclaimed property while using the hashtag #FLHolidayMoneyHunt in November and December.

The Miami area has $1 billion available in unclaimed property, followed by Tampa-St. Petersburg ($666 million), Orlando ($528 million), West Palm Beach ($382 million), Jacksonville ($212 million), Fort Myers-Naples ($177 million), Pensacola ($75 million), Tallahassee ($53 million), Gainesville ($40 million) and Panama City ($40 million).

“Unclaimed property is a financial asset that is unknown or lost or has been left inactive, unclaimed, or abandoned by its owner. The most common types of unclaimed property are dormant bank accounts, unclaimed insurance proceeds, stocks, dividends, uncashed checks, deposits, credit balances, and refunds among other assets,” a news release said.