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Unclaimed Money Lookup - Louisiana
Free Louisiana Unclaimed Money Lookup
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We receive referral fees from partners (advertising disclosure)
The information we provide you is free of charge and a result of extensive research by our home warranty experts. We use affiliate links on our site that provide us with referral commissions. While this fact may not influence the information we provide, it may affect the positioning of this information.
Louisiana Unclaimed Money -
The Ultimate Guide 2023
- UPDATED May 2023
Learn the best and easiest ways to claim abandoned property in our ultimate guide to unclaimed money in Louisiana.
Contents
- Your Guide to Unclaimed Money in Louisiana
- What is Unclaimed Property in Louisiana?
- How to Find Unclaimed Money in Louisiana
- Steps to Claiming Abandoned Property in Louisiana
- What Information Do You Need to File in Louisiana?
- Keeping Track of Louisiana Claims
- Where Else Can You Look for Abandoned Property?
- How Much Unclaimed Property is in Louisiana?
- Louisiana Unclaimed Property Laws
Your Guide to Unclaimed Money in Louisiana
Known as the Bayou State, Louisiana has a long and rich history. Many of the people who live there today have their roots in the Creole and Cajun cultures who came to the area from France. The Louisiana State Treasurer wants to help locals find abandoned property that belongs to them, which is why the department created the Louisiana Unclaimed Property website. This website helped users find and get back more than $615 million through the beginning of 2021 and still has millions more waiting for people like you. The unclaimed property website only adds accounts once the organizations that hold those accounts determine that they cannot find the original owners.
Though you might assume that the database on the site doesn’t have money for you, it’s worth taking a look. The holder responsible for your property might send a letter to an old address where you no longer live or call a phone number that you changed. Abandoned property can also belong to one of your parents or grandparents and have a clause that lets you claim it as an heir. In our ultimate guide to unclaimed money in Louisiana, we’ll go over some of the property that you can claim and how to use the database as well as find answers to some of the questions that you might have.
What is Unclaimed Property in Louisiana?
Louisiana refers to any type of property that the owner abandoned as unclaimed. The holder can use different methods to contact the owner such as calling the phone number and sending letters to the address listed on the account. They may track bank accounts that the owner used in the past or look for proof that the owner passed away. If all of their attempts fail, they will then contact the Louisiana State Treasurer and request that the state take custody of the property. The treasurer will then use other resources and methods to find the owner before listing the property in the online database.
Insurance payouts are a common type of unclaimed property found in Louisiana. When someone close to you passes away, you need to file a claim for their life insurance if you are a beneficiary. Most insurers will release the funds quickly to help you pay for the deceased’s funeral costs and any other expenses. What happens if you didn’t know about the policy though? Many people have policies that they bought through their old banks or employers and don’t realize that they still have them.
Louisiana helps you find policies that a loved one purchased as well as those that name you as a beneficiary. As long as you have a legal right to the proceeds from the policy, you can still claim the money.
Another example of unclaimed property in Louisiana is a bank account that you haven’t touched in years. Many people think that banks will eventually close their accounts when they don’t use them. Banks will keep the accounts safe for a minimum of one year and continue letting the funds in the account gain interest. It’s only after two years pass with no response from the owner that the bank will contact the treasurer. Both savings and checking accounts appear in the Louisiana unclaimed property database. Any type of financial asset turned over to the Louisiana State Treasurer will wind up in the online database.
Physical property is available in the database, too. This includes safe deposit boxes as well as securities such as stocks and bonds. One thing to keep in mind is that you only have a limited time to file a claim for physical property. If you do not file as the owner before the listed deadline, the treasurer has the right to liquidate the property and keep the proceeds for you. Many people do not realize this and lose family heirlooms and other valuable items. Louisiana will often contact both the listed owner of the property and any heirs that they have to prevent families from losing important things.
How to Find Unclaimed Money in Louisiana
The Louisiana Unclaimed Property website helps you search the state’s database and find money that belongs to people who lived across the state.
Step 1: Visit the Louisiana Unclaimed Property website.
Step 2: Look for the “Claiming Unclaimed Property” box at the bottom of the page, which is what you use to search the database. You need to add your last name to this box. Louisiana also gives you the option of adding either the name or zip code of the city where you lived, which is helpful if you have a common name.
Step 3: Check over all of the information listed on the results page to find the accounts that belong to you. Not only do you need to have once lived at the address shown, but you need to have the same full name as the one attached to the account. Louisiana gives you a general idea of the value of the property and lists the property type such as a checking account or premium refund.
Step 4: Click on the yellow “Claim” button when you’re ready to file. You can then look for the other claim button on the bottom of the page, which allows you to file for the account that you found. The Louisiana database allows you to file for multiple accounts, too.
Steps to Claiming Abandoned Property in Louisiana
You need to do more than just click a claim button to file a claim in Louisiana. We’ll go over all the steps that you need to take to make sure that the Bayou State releases your money.
Step 1: Look over the claim that you selected to verify that your information matches the information on the account.
Step 2: Use the “Claimant Relationship” drop-down menu to show the state of your relationship to the claim. You may want to claim property that belongs to someone else rather than an account that you own.
Step 3: Click the purple “File Claim” button to continue with the claim process.
Step 4: Fill out the information form on the next page. Louisiana places a star next to all of the required boxes that include your date of birth, home phone number, home address and social security number. If you do not have a social security number, you can use your tax ID number.
Step 5: Click the purple next button to review your claim. Once you confirm that the claim is correct, click the “Submit” button to file it.
What Information Do You Need to File in Louisiana?
Louisiana wants to make sure that only those with the legal right to claim property can get a check from the state. Once you complete all the listed steps, you need to gather your personal information. Louisiana requires that you print a copy of your claim form and have a notary stamp it when you sign and date the bottom. You need to send that document to the treasurer along with proof of your name, address and social security number. The upload claim site makes sharing those documents easy.
Before clicking on this link, make sure that you have your claim form and copies of your social security card and photo ID. You need to click a small box to show that the information you share is accurate and matches the info on the claim. This site also asks for the email address you used on the original claim and the claim ID number. You can then upload up to five documents to verify your claim.
Keeping Track of Louisiana Claims
Once you file a claim in Louisiana, you might wonder when your money will arrive and if you added enough information when you filed. To help online users, the website has a status checker that makes it easy to check on the status of one or more claims. Once you enter the ID from your form, the site will show the status of it, which might show that the treasurer released a check or that the office is still working on your claim. The Unclaimed Property Division can provide your claim ID if you lose it as long as you can answer questions about the claim. You can contact the division during regular business hours at (888) 925-4127 on weekdays.
Where Else Can You Look for Abandoned Property?
There are quite a few places to look for abandoned property and unclaimed money in both Louisiana and other states such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Responsible for keeping track of banks and insuring the funds that they hold, the FDIC also ensures that money doesn’t go missing when a bank closes. It offers help for those who had accounts at closed banks. You can get similar help through the National Credit Union Administration, which offers resources for credit unions that closed.
You might find help to locate missing retirement accounts through the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board. Designed to help those who worked for any railroad, the board also offers assistance for the families of former workers who want to claim their pensions. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation has help for those who worked for other employers. You simply enter the name of the individual and view any matching results found in the database. The corporation will then show you what steps you need to take to claim the pension.
There is also Missing Money, which is a website that serves as the unclaimed property databases for several states. We like that this site gives you the option of claiming money online and cutting back on the number of offline steps that you need to take. You can search for the names of anyone you love and look for unclaimed property in your name that multiple states might hold.
Some other resources are available from the federal government and include:
- Department of Veterans Affairs: Work with the VA to find out if you qualify for any government benefits as the child of someone who served in the military. You can also find out if your loved ones purchased life insurance policies that are still valid.
- U.S. Federal Investments: This website keeps track of millions of dollars in uncashed bonds. You can find out if you have treasury bonds and what you need to do to claim them.
- Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): HUD helps you find refunds on a mortgage that you once had or still have. The site also offers information on some of the scammers that might target you.
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS): The IRS helps you keep track of refunds that you earned and never got. You can add your bank account and have the IRS deposit a missing refund directly into your account. The site also offers help for tracking your stimulus payments.
How Much Unclaimed Property is in Louisiana?
The Louisiana State Treasurer estimates that the Unclaimed Property Division oversees more than $750 million in assets that belong to residents. This is only a drop in the bucket when compared to the total amount across the country, which comes to more than $40 billion. Once you finish your search for unclaimed property in Louisiana, make sure that you check out some of our other guides. You may find that multiple states have money listed under your name. You’ll want to check the other resources that we found, too.
Louisiana Unclaimed Property Laws
Though Louisiana law requires that holders contact the treasurer about unclaimed property, the law also asks that they send a notice to the owner’s last known address at least 60 days but no more than 120 days before contacting the state. The state will only hold property that has a value of $50 more. Holders can absorb property worth a smaller amount. Louisiana usually asks that holders retain the property for one to five years before contacting the treasurer. You can take a look at some other unclaimed property laws in Louisiana before you file a claim.
Unclaimed Money FAQs in Louisiana
What is a Dormancy Fee?
Louisiana allows holders to charge owners a dormancy fee if they do not claim their property. They can only charge this fee if the owner signed a contract that shows the holder can add a fee. If the property is worth less than $50, the holder may take the total balance to pay this fee. In cases where the property has a higher value, the holder can charge the fee before sending the remaining balance to the treasurer.
Does Louisiana Show the Total Value of Each Account?
No, Louisiana does not show the total size or value of an account but will give you an idea of its overall worth. You can see if the property is worth less than $25 or between $25-50 as well as $50-100 and those that are worth $100 or more. If you think that it takes too much time to claim a smaller account, keep in mind that filing multiple claims can help you get quite a bit of money that you didn’t have before.
What Happens if You Don't Include the Right Documents?
The Louisiana system allows you to upload any of the documents needed to verify your claim. If the treasurer finds that you didn’t provide enough documents or information, you will receive a letter in the mail that tells you what to do next. The state will usually freeze your claim until you upload that information. You can also use the status checker to see if the treasurer needs more information. If the treasurer compares your information to the claim and decides that you don’t have the right to file, the office will send a letter that states why you cannot claim the account.
Can You Claim Louisiana Property as an Heir?
Yes, you can claim abandoned property in Louisiana as the heir of a deceased person. The state only allows you to file if you have official court records or documents that show you are the deceased’s rightful and legal heir. You can also use estate documents that show you handled the final wishes of a loved one or that the court determined the deceased’s estate did not need to go through the legal system.
How Long Does the Claim Process Take?
Thanks to the online system, Louisiana can process claims faster than other states can. The amount of time that it takes will depend on the volume or number of claims filed in a specific period. During the busier seasons, it can take a full 90 days from the time that you file and upload your documents before you get a check.
What Happens to Abandoned Safe Deposit Boxes in Louisiana?
Louisiana law requires that holders and owners sign contracts before the owner can store a safe deposit box in a holder’s facility. The holder can charge a monthly rental fee but cannot touch the box unless the renter abandons the box. They can only open the box five years after the date of the last rental payment. Holders are responsible for creating detailed logs that list all the items found in the box, which they can separate into sections such as paperwork and jewelry. Once the Louisiana State Treasurer takes over the box, the office will only sell the contents if it cannot find the owner. The office then holds the funds for either the owner or their heirs.
Does Louisiana Take Any Steps to Find Owners?
The Louisiana State Treasurer makes several attempts to find owners after obtaining unclaimed property from holders. This office will send letters to the last known address and search internal databases for updated addresses for the owner. It will also use social media such as Twitter and Facebook to let others know when it updated its online system. The Louisiana State Treasurer often runs ads on television and websites to remind people to search for missing money. You may see ads run in local newspapers, too. Louisiana has no limit as to how long it will hold abandoned property, but it does not store vehicles or real estate. If the original owner passes away before filing a claim, the treasurer will accept claims filed by their heirs.
What Can You Do to Keep Your Property Safe?
There are many things that you can do to keep your property safe in Louisiana and reduce the risk that you might abandon it. We recommend that you notify others when you open a safe deposit box and keep a copy of the key to the box. If you have accounts that require you do at least one thing a year to keep them in good standing, set alerts in your phone and on your desktop calendar. You should also make a list of all the properties that you own and check in once a year. This gives you the chance to update your contact information and make any changes that you need.
Conclusion
Don’t let the Bayou State hold onto your property any longer than it should. There is never a bad time to check with the Unclaimed Property Division for financial assets that belong to you. The sooner that you check and file a claim, the faster you can get all of your money. Once you use our ultimate guide to unclaimed money in Louisiana, check with some of the other resources that we found. You can then use our guides to other states to find all of your money.
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