Episode•January 16, 2024•11 min

Free Money Alert! How to Find and Claim Unclaimed Money | Ep. 294

In this episode, Tiffany Grant shares her wealth of knowledge on uncovering hidden funds that could be rightfully yours. From unclaimed property to undelivered refunds, she covers it all. With Tiffany's expert guidance, you'll learn how to navigate official government websites, including the IRS and USA.gov, and specific databases, such as the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. She also highlights credit unions as a potential source for unclaimed deposits. But here's the best part - Tiffany stresses that all these resources are freely accessible and that individuals can do the research themselves without paying external companies. As she says, why pay for something when you can find it yourself? Tiffany shares her personal experience of finding an old paycheck through this process. And don't worry about missing out on any future unclaimed funds because Tiffany recommends periodically checking for them. As a special treat for our listeners, Tiffany has a limited-time offer for her Budget Nirvana course (regularly $297) - a program designed to help you achieve financial bliss by optimizing your budgeting skills. So don't wait any longer and start your journey towards finding quick money with Tiffany today! Every Tuesday, Tiffany answers one of your submitted questions. To submit a question for an upcoming episode, visit https://www.moneytalkwitht.com/asktiffany. Connect with Tiffany Website: https://moneytalkwitht.com Facebook: Money Talk With Tiff Twitter: @moneytalkwitht Instagram: @moneytalkwitht LinkedIn: Tiffany Grant Additional Links & Resources Search for your unclaimed property (it’s free) – National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) (https://unclaimed.org/search/) MissingMoney.com | Search for Unclaimed Property Refunds | Internal Revenue Service Home Page | Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation National Association of Insurance Commissioners Need life insurance? Reach out to Acquania Escarne How to find unclaimed money from the government | USAGov NCUA - National Credit Union Administration Budget Nirvana Course Did you find any money as a result of this episode? Get In...

Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Overcast Amazon Music

Key Takeaways

1
Unclaimed money is widespread and accessible for free
Most people have forgotten funds from old paychecks, refunds, pensions, or insurance
All official databases are free to search—no need to pay third-party companies
Tiffany personally recovered an old paycheck from 2015 worth over $100 in 2018
2
Start with state unclaimed property databases
NAUPA's unclaimed.org aggregates all 50 states' records
Search every state you've lived in using your name and basic info
Verify details carefully to confirm ownership before claiming
3
Check multiple specific government sources
IRS 'Where's My Refund' tool for undelivered federal refunds
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation for old retirement plans
National Association of Insurance Commissioners for unclaimed life insurance
National Credit Union Administration for forgotten credit union deposits
4
usa.gov/unclaimed-money is the master directory
Central hub listing every legitimate government resource mentioned
Also includes state tax refund search tools
Avoid paid 'unclaimed money' services—everything is available free
5
Make unclaimed money searches a recurring habit
Funds can appear years later; Tiffany recommends periodic checks
Listeners are encouraged to report finds via moneytalkwitht.com/contact-us

Intro

Tiffany Grant dedicates an entire episode to uncovering forgotten money sitting in government databases, sharing both her personal success stories and step-by-step instructions for listeners.
Tiffany Grant is the host of the Money Talk With Tiff podcast and a financial coach focused on practical wealth-building strategies.

Website Budget Nirvana Course

– Why Unclaimed Money Matters

Tiffany explains that most people overlook unclaimed funds from old jobs, refunds, or benefits. She and several listeners have already recovered money by searching official databases.

– State Unclaimed Property Search

Start with NAUPA at unclaimed.org. The site links to every state's official database. Search using your name in every state you've lived in, then verify details before claiming.

Anytime you have a paycheck that you never got, or there was a refund due to you... they have to report it to the state.
– Tiffany Grant

– IRS Refunds & Federal Money

Use the IRS 'Where's My Refund' tool to check for undelivered federal tax refunds. Also search state departments of revenue for unclaimed state tax refunds.

– Pensions, Life Insurance & Credit Unions

Search the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation for old pensions, the NAIC Life Policy Locator for unclaimed life insurance, and the NCUA site for forgotten credit union deposits.

If a loved one passed away and you're the beneficiary on a life insurance policy, that might be unclaimed money as well.
– Tiffany Grant

– Warning Against Paid Services

Tiffany strongly advises against paying companies to find unclaimed money. All legitimate resources are free and publicly available. The amounts recovered are often small, making paid services uneconomical.

– Budget Nirvana Course Offer

Tiffany offers her Budget Nirvana course for $97 (regularly $297) with a link in the show notes. The course teaches personalized budgeting systems and includes community access.

Resources

Topics

unclaimed moneygovernment refundspersonal financeretirement accountslife insurancecredit unionsfinancial literacyscam avoidancebudgeting