Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

City Treasurer Ronald Williams has partnered with the state Department of the Treasury’s Division of Unclaimed Property to allow residents to find out if the state owes them money.

The virtual event, being held for the second consecutive year, will take place between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Nov. 16 and Nov. 17. Residents can call the Division of Unclaimed Property at 1-833-302-0704.

“I worked with the division to set up a special time for Suffolk residents to call and be personally assisted in finding any potential funds due to them,” Williams said in a news release.

Williams has hosted other unclaimed property events over the years, including at Peanut Fest and two years ago at City Hall and the North Suffolk Library.

Williams notes that there is no cost, risk or obligation to search for unclaimed property, which can come in a variety of forms.
“Unpaid wages, security deposits, insurance policies, utility deposits and refunds, or even old, forgotten about bank accounts are oftentimes the source of the unclaimed property,” said Chief Deputy Treasurer Andrew Owen.

A move or name change are also reasons why money can remain unclaimed. Though the exact amount of unclaimed property changes every year, the state’s unclaimed property balance is currently more than $1 billion.

Residents received an invitation to take part in the event with their personal property tax bills delivered in late September. They can also search anytime online for free at www.vamoneysearch.org.

“I know there are many people who are facing financial hardships through no fault of their own right now,” Williams said, “and I wanted to make them aware of this great opportunity. This program has returned hundreds of thousands of dollars to Suffolk citizens that they were unaware they were owed.”