MONTPELIER, VT — Vermont State Treasurer Beth Pearce today announced that fairgoers who visited the Treasurer’s Office’s unclaimed property booth during the 98th Champlain Valley Fair claimed $94,844.07. Of this total, one lucky fairgoer who searched the State databases located an insurance policy worth more than $21,000, which has now been returned to them.
“The Treasurer’s Office conducts outreach throughout the year to locate Vermonters who have missing paychecks, lost insurance policies, and other types of unclaimed property that are returned to our office for safekeeping,” said Treasurer Pearce. “Each August when we visit the Champlain Valley Fair, hundreds of Vermonters discover they have missing money that we want to return to them. We encourage all Vermonters to visit MissingMoney.Vermont.Gov to search our database and claim your funds.”
During the ten day period that the unclaimed property booth was open at the fair, visitors conducted 3,500 searches. 428 individual claims were generated, resulting in an average claim of $221.69. The single largest property claimed by a Vermonter was $21,257.79. “Unclaimed property” describes assets like uncashed checks, lost valuables, forgotten security deposits, misplaced insurance policies, investments, or estates. Last year, the Treasurer’s Office received $12.1 million of new property, raising the total amount on hand to $94.5 million.
There is never a charge to claim funds through the Treasurer’s Office. Vermonters are cautioned to be wary of companies claiming to locate and recover property for a fee. You can search online at www.MissingMoney.Vermont.gov or call the Unclaimed Property Division at (802) 828-2407 or toll-free in Vermont at 1-800-642-3191.
