The state of Ohio has announced that it is holding $4 billion in unclaimed funds owed to taxpayers. The Ohio Department of Commerce is urging residents to check if they have unclaimed money in their names. The unclaimed funds can be from various sources such as uncashed checks, insurance payouts, cell phone company deposits, old apartment or utility deposits, old stock or bank dividends, and lost inheritances. If businesses cannot locate the rightful owners, they are required by law to turn the money over to the government.

Many individuals are unaware of these unclaimed funds. When a group of lunchtime diners was asked to look up their names on the national database, most admitted they had never done so before. However, upon searching, one individual found unclaimed funds totaling $25 to $50 under their name.

To check if you have unclaimed money, you can visit MissingMoney.com and look up your name. If you find any unclaimed funds, you will need to provide your Social Security Number for verification purposes. According to Akil Hardy from the Ohio Department of Commerce, the average claim is now close to $4,000. Even the head of Ohio’s unclaimed funds department discovered unclaimed funds in his name, emphasizing the importance of checking for unclaimed money.