Are you missing something? Nearly every day, Finance departments throughout local government offices in San Diego County receive returned checks that are undeliverable by postal service.
It’s worth highlighting that as of June 2024, the City of San Diego holds $818,000 in unclaimed funds, waiting to be returned to more than 600 individuals and businesses. These funds can range from as little as $1 to as much as $222,332. Last year, only 45% of the total unclaimed money was claimed, of which the average claim was $2,659.
Notably, the city is not alone in this matter. The County of San Diego and the State of California also hold substantial amounts of unclaimed monies. These funds usually stem from checks that remain uncashed for a period of more than six months or are undeliverable via postal service.
Individuals, heirs or beneficiaries, organizations, businesses, and third-party recovery agencies are eligible to make claims. Readers are encouraged to visit and review local government agencies unclaimed monies reports.
The county has released a comprehensive A-Z report, and the city has a similar report for public review. For unclaimed property or monies held by the State, you may visit State Controller Malia Cohen’s unclaimed properties portal to check if you’re on the list.
If after reviewing any of the local agencies’ unclaimed monies reports, you have determined that either the county, the city, or the state may owe you, your organization, or your business funds, you may file a claim on the county’s, the city’s, or the state’s request forms. To avoid any unnecessary delays, claimants should be ready to provide all required documents, which are listed on each website.
During his time as the State Senator for California’s 33th and 38th districts, Supervisor Joel Anderson assisted hundreds of constituents in the unclaimed properties process. Over the years he has also provided a multitude of resources, such as workshops to assist his constituents in recovering their unclaimed monies. In one instance, his office helped a constituent recover over $192,000, which they then described as “a miracle.”
“I want to make sure all the residents of County District 2 are aware of these unclaimed funds so they have the opportunity get their money returned to them,” Supervisor Anderson said. “It’s my goal to make government work for you, and I’m pleased to help with the unclaimed property process at the County or connect you with the right resources to claim money from other jurisdictions.”
Supervisor Anderson and his staff are able to help you get started on this process. For any information, assistance, or inquiries related to unclaimed monies or any other county issues, please reach out to www.supervisorjoelanderson.com/ or call (619) 219-2470.
Shaker is a legislative intern for the Office of County Supervisor Joel Anderson.
