‘My mom would be livid’: Georgia woman can't access $23K in unclaimed property from her parents for one reason
Dale Benerofe had the surprise of her life when she discovered $23,000 in unclaimed property from her deceased parents was with the state of Georgia.
She believed she could claim the sizable sum of cash. “It would be a godsend,” she told WSB-TV Channel 2 Action News.
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But when Benerofe approached the Georgia state revenue department with her parents’ death certificates and other documentation required to retrieve unclaimed property, her claim was denied. She was told she needed to provide her father’s driver’s license, which is long gone.
“My mom would be livid,” said Benerofe, who has been fighting to secure the $23,000 since May 2023. “It’s stressful, it weighs on me and it’s time-consuming.”
Benerofe’s case is not unique. Two other women in similar situations reached out to the television station after watching its investigation that prompted the state to change its searchable website.
Conyers resident Nancy Kelley’s $730 claim was rejected despite showing documents including her mother’s death certificate and Social Security card. Dixie Burkhalter was told to show proof of address from four decades ago in order to claim the $263 she found on the website.
“Forty-two years ago, I lived in an apartment in another town. Never used that address. Never got any mail there. Nothing,” said Burkhalter. “I know it’s not a big amount of money, but it’s the principle. If it’s my money, then I should get my money.”
Georgia’s revenue commissioner Frank O’Connell believes most claims are sorted quickly and easily.
“If there’s several children of a deceased father or mother, they could all tell us that they’re entitled to the money. So, we would like to see something that shows that you’re the one that’s designated to handle the estate,” he told Channel 2 Action News.
In April, [Channel 2 Action News] reported that Georgia has more than $2.8 billion sitting unclaimed in its Treasury — which is more than $250 for every man, woman and child in the Peach State.
Its searchable website for unclaimed property was only showing claims worth more than $50 but has since been changed to make all unclaimed property easier to find.
Other state Treasuries across the country are also holding unclaimed property. Here’s how you can claim back the money that is rightfully yours.
What is unclaimed property?
Unclaimed property is any financial asset that has been abandoned or forgotten for a specific amount of time — often three to five years, but sometimes longer — after which, by law, it must be turned over to the state for safekeeping.
Some common forms of unclaimed property include checking or savings accounts; uncashed dividends or payroll checks; investment instruments like stocks, bonds, or brokerage accounts; life insurance proceeds; refunds; trust distributions; certificates of deposit; and annuities.
While it may be hard to believe someone could abandon an old savings account or forget to collect a final paycheck, unclaimed property is actually quite common. According to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, approximately one in seven Americans have some form or property owed to them that’s been forgotten.
“No one should assume they don’t have unclaimed property,” Ron Lizzi, a self-proclaimed watchdog of unclaimed property, told Channel 2 Action News.
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Retrieving unclaimed property
The first step to retrieve your unclaimed property is a quick online search. Every state maintains a database of unclaimed property for that state, and — by law — must attempt to return the property to its rightful owners.
If you’re unsure about how to access your state’s unclaimed property program, a quick and free online search at missingmoney.com should allow most individuals to search nationally for property they’re owed.
“The beginning part was easy,” Benerofe told Channel 2 Action News. “Type your name into Georgia Unclaimed Property and wait to see what pops up. You’d be amazed.”
If you find unclaimed property — which is highly likely, considering that many billions of dollars are sitting in treasuries waiting for their rightful owners to lay claim — all you typically need to do is file a claim form and supporting documentation to prove to the state that the assets are yours. Once approved, the state will transfer your property.
Unfortunately in Georgia, things were not that straightforward. Before the Channel 2 Action News investigation, the state’s searchable website for unclaimed property was only showing claims worth more than $50. That means, Georgians could have several claims for $10, $20, $30, $40 and they wouldn’t know it.
The probe “spurred” the Department of Revenue into fixing the search function on their website, with state revenue commissioner Frank O’Connell noting: “It’s our responsibility to try to unite them with their money.”
Like Benerofe and others like her, you may also find that you do not possess all the documents that are required.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
