This post is only applicable to residents of the United States. However, the following principles may apply to your country as well, so it may be worth reading anyway.

Have you ever rummaged through old files only to find an old paycheck that you never deposited? In this situation, a lot of people will think that money is forever lost and mentally beat themselves up over it. However, that’s not actually the case.

In the United States, employers are obligated to turn unclaimed paychecks over to the state. These paychecks are then counted as “unclaimed property” — and you have the right to claim your unclaimed property.

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Fortunately, there are websites that make this really easy. You should never pay someone to find or claim unclaimed property for you! It’s a free process in every U.S. state.

The best website for this is MissingMoney.com. Remember to check previous names if you’ve ever changed your name. Also, searches are completely free, so consider running a few queries for your family members as well.

Other forms of unclaimed property include bank accounts, safe deposit box contents, insurance policies, utility deposits, escrow accounts, stocks, mutual funds, and more. You might have money waiting for you — so what are you waiting for?

After checking the website above, how much unclaimed money do you have? Know of any other authorized websites for finding unclaimed property? Let us know in the comments below!

Image Credit: Man Celebrating Money by Dooder via Shutterstock