Unclaimed property funds to go back to eligible Delaware taxpayers

During the month of September, the Delaware Office of Unclaimed Property will return more than $364,000 in unclaimed property directly to about 2,700 Delaware taxpayers through the annual Money Match program.

Based on a data match with their most recent personal income tax returns, eligible taxpayers will receive a check in the mail for their unclaimed property.

“Money Match demonstrates how state government is using technology, not only to operate more efficiently, but also to return money directly to thousands of Delaware taxpayers without requiring any action on their part – except to cash the check,” said Brenda R. Mayrack, state escheator and director of the Delaware Office of Unclaimed Property.

This is the fifth iteration of Delaware’s Money Match program, which now occurs annually each September. In total, the Money Match program has returned more than $5 million to more than 40,000 Delaware taxpayers.

Money Match is one of several ongoing initiatives of the Delaware Office of Unclaimed Property to increase the return of property to owners:

In June 2024, Delaware Office of Unclaimed Property returned more than $90,000 in unclaimed funds to more than 35 of Delaware’s public and charter school districts

In July 2023, the Delaware Office of Unclaimed Property expanded its Money Match program to include the state’s volunteer fire companies, identifying and returning more than $150,000 in unclaimed funds, without requiring paperwork or the filing of a claim, to more than 50 of Delaware’s volunteer fire companies.

Every year Feb. 1, Delaware participates in National Unclaimed Property Day, a multi-state awareness campaign of the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators to encourage people to search for their unclaimed property. Along with 49 other states, Delaware participates in missingmoney.com, a free multi-state unclaimed property search website sponsored by NAUPA. Missingmoney.com allows individuals to conduct one search across almost all states simultaneously to find their lost property.

Unclaimed property can include money left in old bank accounts, uncashed paychecks, unused balances on gift certificates, unreturned utility deposits, uncollected insurance payments, and forgotten stocks and dividends. Businesses are required to turn over these amounts to states after a certain number of years if contact is lost between the holder of the property and the property owner.

While Money Match automatically reunites many Delaware taxpayers with their unclaimed property, not all types of property are included. Delawareans are still encouraged to search for unclaimed property held by Delaware at unclaimedproperty.delaware.gov. To search for unclaimed property across 49 states at one time, go to missingmoney.com.

For more information, go to unclaimedproperty.delaware.gov/app/claim/money-match.