Treasurer Fitzpatrick Returns Unclaimed Property to Unemployed Missourians

A partnership with the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations provides improved contact information

Jefferson City, MO—Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick and the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations’ (DOLIR’s) Division of Employment Security have partnered to help return Unclaimed Property to Missourians who have applied for unemployment benefits.

By cross-referencing DOLIR’s data with the Unclaimed Property database, the Treasurer’s Office is able to conduct proactive outreach more successfully. Beginning last week, the Unclaimed Property Division began proactive outreach, contacting over 88,000 Missourians. These efforts have already generated more than $186,000 in returned unclaimed property to almost 2,300 Missourians, with many of those checks already in the mail.

“Unclaimed Property is usually unclaimed because contact information is out of date. As Treasurer, utilizing as many resources as possible to return money to Missourians, especially as we mitigate the impact of COVID-19, is a priority,” Treasurer Fitzpatrick said. “I became involved in politics because I wanted to improve government efficiency and working with other state agencies to share data and help Missourians is one way to do that. I am grateful to the staff in my office who have been working on this new initiative since May and to the team at DOLIR for their partnership. I look forward to finding ways to work with other agencies to get unclaimed property back to Missourians where it belongs.”

“DOLIR is happy to partner with Treasurer Fitzpatrick in bringing much needed resources to individuals at this time when so many Missouri families are in need. The collaboration to identify and notify individuals who have utilized Missouri’s unemployment system that have potential unclaimed property not only serves our citizenry during a time of need, but is the very definition of what government should be doing,” said DOLIR Director Anna Hui. “This is a great example of how Governor Parson and Treasurer Fitzpatrick are leading state government staff to work better together to serve Missourians.”

Those who receive outreach in the form of a postcard, email, or phone call will have to submit a claim for their unclaimed property. The Treasurer’s Office anticipates the number of matches generated by this partnership is likely in excess of a hundred thousand claims representing tens of millions of dollars that could be returned to Missourians who need it.

Last year, Treasurer Fitzpatrick worked with the Department of Social Services to launch an automated system that matches unclaimed property with past-due child support. This new system has returned more than $3 million in past-due child support payments to Missouri families.

1 in 10 Missourians has unclaimed property and the average return is $300. Missourians can search and claim online at ShowMeMoney.com. The Treasurer’s Office does not charge to return unclaimed property.

Since taking office in 2019, Treasurer Fitzpatrick has broken three unclaimed property records, returning the first $1 million of his administration in less than 10 days, returning over $45 million in one fiscal year, and returning unclaimed property to more Missourians in one year than any prior treasurer.