WILMINGTON — An Ohio agency says it owes hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Clinton County residents and businesses almost $2.3 million — including many who are owed thousands of dollars.
“Unclaimed funds are money or the right to money that has been dormant or forgotten, usually for five years,” wrote the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Unclaimed Funds in a public notice circulated in the News Journal. “Each year, the Division of Unclaimed Funds receives accounts from financial institutions, insurance companies and other organizations that include: dormant checking and savings accounts, forgotten rent and utility deposits, uncashed checks, undelivered stock certificates and uncashed insurance policies.”
Some of those recipients are people — either alive or deceased — and others are Clinton County businesses.
The notice, included in the April 20 edition of the News Journal, included recent accounts worth $50 or more. A full, 520-page list of all accounts including from prior years can be found on the News Journal’s website at www.wnewsj.com. A printed list is available at the Clinton County Treasurer Jason Walt’s office in the Clinton County Courthouse.
The full list includes $2,287,184.88 of unclaimed funds and almost 23,000 accounts. Some of the accounts, and amounts, appear to be duplicates and several accounts can belong to a single person.
How to claim a fund
If your name is on the list, you must prove identity to the Division of Unclaimed funds with a document showing you once lived at the address listed, a photo ID and your Social Security number.
If you are the survivor of someone on the list, you must prove that the deceased was the rightful owner and that you are entitled to the account.
“If the original owner is deceased, you should contact the Probate Court in the county where the account owner lived at the time of death,” the Division of Unclaimed Funds’ website reads. “You must obtain documentation from the Probate Court that grants you the right to obtain the funds. In many of Ohio county probate courts, these documents are referred to as ‘Letters of Authority.’”
In some cases, you are entitled to receive interest, too.
The Division of Unclaimed Funds said Clinton County residents have successfully recovered $1,962,610.
Those who wish to claim their fund can download a form beginning the claims process on the News Journal’s website, go to www.com.ohio.gov/unfd, call 1-877-644-6823 or pick up the same form in Walt’s office in the courthouse.
Reach Nathan Kraatz at 937-382-2574, ext. 2510 or on Twitter @NathanKraatz.
