How do i find out if i have unclaimed money in california

The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators' website www.unclaimed.org is an excellent resource. This association consists of state officials charged with the responsibility of reuniting lost owners with their unclaimed property.

Property owner claims that only involve cash may be processed in as little as 30 to 60 days. More complex claims, such as those filed by heirs, those involving multiple owners, or those involving businesses are generally processed within the 180 day period.

The law's answer is clear: California Penal Code Section 485 stipulates that if you find money you need to make "reasonable and just efforts to find the owner." Otherwise, you're "guilty of theft." "If you find even a quarter, you're technically obligated to turn it in," says Sgt.

California's Unclaimed Property Law requires banks, insurance companies, corporations, and certain other entities to report and submit their customers' property to the State Controller's Office when there has been no activity for a period of time (generally three years).