Finding out the state or another agency might owe you money is exciting—but after you hit “Submit Claim,” everything can feel like a black box. Does anyone actually review it? How long does it take? Will you really see that check?

It’s more common than you’d think: people move, change jobs, switch banks, or forget about old accounts—and billions of dollars in unclaimed cash end up sitting with government agencies, waiting for someone to claim it. Some of that money might have your name on it.

Imagine discovering that a utility deposit, old paycheck, or forgotten bank account has been quietly waiting for you to claim it. Unclaimed money is more common than most people think, and checking for it is one of the easiest financial “wins” you can give yourself.

Finding out you might be owed unclaimed cash—from old bank accounts, refunds, deposits, or government programs—feels like a small financial win. But that excitement can quickly turn into frustration when your unclaimed cash claim gets delayed for weeks or even months.

Every year, billions of dollars sit in accounts, checks, and policies that no one ever claims. It’s not a scam, and it’s not rare—there’s a very real chance some of that unclaimed cash could belong to you or someone you know.