County-by-county numbers released

State Treasurer John Perdue’s Unclaimed Property Division returned $14.8 million in claims to rightful owners in fiscal year 2019, with Kanawha County leading the county-by-county breakdown with $2.2 million returned to residents.

Unclaimed property is any financial asset from which an individual has become unintentionally separated. Examples include a final paycheck, a forgotten safe deposit box, uncashed stock dividends, or life insurance. Real estate is not included.

The 2019 fiscal year total is similar to other recent years. In 2017, $12.4 million was returned to rightful owners; $13.8 million was returned in FY 2016. The office set a record with $17.7 million returned to rightful owners in FY 2018.

“I’m proud that our office continues to return millions to rightful owners every year,” said State Treasurer Perdue. “Our unclaimed property staff actively works to return unclaimed money through various types of public outreach. Each year our goal is to return at least $1 million a month, on average, and we’ve hit that mark again.”

After Kanawha’s $2.2 million total, the remaining top 10 counties in money returned consists of:

• Monongalia, $859,749; 546 claims
• Raleigh, $503,196; 477 claims
• Cabell, $453,658; 496 claims
• Harrison, $400,926; 494 claims
• Marion, $361,705; 358 claims
• Berkeley, $336,980; 414 claims
• Putnam, $290,403; 419 claims
• Ohio, $257,123; 261 claims
• Wood, $190,815; 411 claims

Treasurer Perdue’s office attempts to locate rightful owner through an online database, letter distributions and a twice a year newspaper publication that list thousands of never-before-listed names of rightful owners. The newspaper insert is titled “Discover” and is distributed in newspapers in every county in West Virginia. The next newspaper insert is scheduled to be released in mid- to late-September. If you see your name, you may go to www.wvtreasury.com and file an electronic claim; fill out the paper claim included in the insert and mail it in; or call 1-800-642-8687 for direct assistance.       

“Checking to see if you or a relative has unclaimed property is easy and something everyone should do at least one a year,” said Treasurer Perdue.

Below is a list of the remaining county totals of claims paid in FY 2019, in descending order:

• Fayette, $155,110; 254 claims
• Mercer, $139,907; 306 claims
• Preston, $135,539; 196 claims
• Randolph, $117,498; 138 claims
• Greenbrier, $112,552; 160 claims
• Wayne, $111,455; 165 claims
• Jefferson, $104,775; 206 claims
• Logan, $92,972; 159 claims
• Mingo, $83,404; 107 claims
• Mineral, $64,828; 133 claims
• Upshur, $56,497; 117 claims
• Hardy, $54,327; 68 claims
• Hancock, $53,055; 172 claims
• Jackson, $50,426; 159 claims
• Marshall, $48,663; 127 claims
• Brooke, $46,805; 93 claims
• Nicholas, $43,899; 134 claims
• Braxton, $41,426; 58 claims
• Boone, $41,040; 161 claims
• Summers, $37,679; 50 claims
• Barbour, $34,894; 67 claims
• Hampshire, $33,696; 87 claims
• Mason, $31,277; 111 claims
• Gilmer, $30,938; 29 claims
• Taylor, $30,405; 79 claims
• Wetzel, $27,089; 86 claims
• Morgan, $23,904; 71 claims
• Roane, $21,371; 55 claims
• Lincoln, $19,199; 95 claims
• Pendleton, $19,018; 35 claims
• Ritchie, $18,537; 42 claims
• Clay, $18,437; 69 claims
• Monroe, $18,431; 70 claims
• Wyoming, $17,565; 65 claims
• Lewis, $15,992; 81 claims
• Doddridge, $15,612; 22 claims
• McDowell, $15,209; 52 claims
• Pocahontas, $14,711; 40 claims
• Grant, $12,880; 52 claims
• Webster, $11,470; 37 claims
• Tucker, $11,441; 18 claims
• Pleasants, $9,592; 25 claims
• Tyler, $8,678; 27 claims
• Calhoun, $5,041; 35 claims
• Wirt, $3,273; 25 claims      

 

The county totals add up to $7.9 million. Out of state payments make up the remainder of the fiscal year total.