$11 million in unclaimed property owed to tri-county residents

From staff reports

Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity has announced that more than $11 million of unclaimed property is owed to residents of Venango, Clarion and Forest counties.

In 2022, the state Treasury Department returned more than $211 million in unclaimed property, the third-most ever in a single year. More than $4 billion remains available to be claimed.

If someone would like to see if they have money waiting, they may search Treasury’s unclaimed property database at patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property. If money is available, a claims process can be started online.

Unclaimed property includes things like dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, forgotten stocks and insurance policies. State law requires businesses to report unclaimed property to Treasury after three years of dormancy.

Unclaimed property can also include tangible property, such as jewelry or other valuables stored in abandoned safe deposit boxes. Tangible property may be auctioned by Treasury after three years of trying to locate the rightful owner.

All auction proceeds are available in perpetuity for the rightful owner to claim.

Treasury often receives military decorations and memorabilia as unclaimed property, usually from safe deposit boxes, and works diligently to find the veterans who earned them or their families.

Military decorations and memorabilia are never auctioned.

Since taking office, Garrity has returned 337 military decorations and memorabilia, including four Purple Hearts and three Bronze Stars. About 500 military decorations remain in Treasury’s vault.

Anyone wanting to help Treasury find the rightful owners can visit patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property/medals.