{"id":202888,"date":"2026-02-19T21:09:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T02:09:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/?p=202888"},"modified":"2026-02-19T21:09:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T02:09:57","slug":"you-may-have-money-waiting-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/2026\/02\/19\/you-may-have-money-waiting-for-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest column: have money waiting?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>By Franklin Freytag<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>COLUMBUS &#8212;\u00a0In recognition of National Unclaimed Funds Month in February, the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__u36632242.ct.sendgrid.net_ls_click-3Fupn-3Du001.Alvp-2D2BpzYTQ-2D2BckF-2D2FqPZDgy7uRC-2D2FUg5-2D2B3oYwX84-2D2BMsjk4-2D3DKM-2Dn-5FpIbxPfpDI69aAybPrpOfg13-2D2BnRq9m1GIM7tuH7cFM0nEfbYl-2D2FmSTl0Gh1qvrOwJaQQoCyyYAZLndF7rMTExMK21RvZezA7K8S95oxs-2D2BpeSkvzxI4yNwsnz-2D2FkPk1RRpEt-2D2BPXwtNLcx2kJtxKHq601airqWrhy2TsU0sUauE9FLdtaqggbOoyJQYXvo-2D2BifcUeSjSwvbwxhwDdbrNcXlw9FJoYNIoVZebmymyLjOtnCH0uD-2D2Bl0MXNJrU7w3fE77h6t72iNF2hfU-2D2F9GciiO3IQ5EK1PrrUo2yoqg1dA-2D2Bn1JAqycmzaVAibV73rruicQYJ-2D2F8hG-2D2BAUARpiA42FONU6rPal9-2D2FAGq7qUBwVeApi5r1-2D2BTNHs-2D3D&amp;d=DwMFAg&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=FC13PzDbVZ8qhVsUeHYgLJLYUVcrkfTA5q3JvQduqoI&amp;m=hqvOfXs-pzRrpLED2doHyuqd8kHf4sU9xPPQSHvVz3By6gcYldsHRaM7dJy1ITRE&amp;s=lrXYSxHbG397M42JYxjFx67iiymJjPZgnDEWZjTUJBs&amp;e=\">Ohio Department of Commerce<\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__u36632242.ct.sendgrid.net_ls_click-3Fupn-3Du001.Alvp-2D2BpzYTQ-2D2BckF-2D2FqPZDgyz-2D2FA3Rx-2D2BdMqmCvXOeUqLJ-2D2B9GManVSCi-2D2FtwYZSU8xY6tNfyllajNWGUFY-2D2FLrvfrhK2e9doWMRGVhOuJ3vlYVmoO4-2D3DMrBI-5FpIbxPfpDI69aAybPrpOfg13-2D2BnRq9m1GIM7tuH7cFM0nEfbYl-2D2FmSTl0Gh1qvrOwJaQQoCyyYAZLndF7rMTExMK21RvZezA7K8S95oxs-2D2BpeSkvzxI4yNwsnz-2D2FkPk1RRpEt-2D2BPXwtNLcx2kJtxKHq601airqWrhy2TsU0sUauE9FLdtaqggbOoyJQYXvo-2D2BifcUeSzAQm9E0jv5svDDXc81rXqdsmo3ramJgt9BF0MjAfLOReSsHSMYSSskCH9CG3WRv00t9oczwJzHQavsulibTbSNHq9yLsZ6Q791OVnoRxsThF99fgKDwjEqDVuSPow35LYwzIAGiVwhzLK-2D2BEyE-2D2Fu0t-2D2F50DsjwDINc8mVsiJ2-2D2BBCg-2D3D&amp;d=DwMFAg&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=FC13PzDbVZ8qhVsUeHYgLJLYUVcrkfTA5q3JvQduqoI&amp;m=hqvOfXs-pzRrpLED2doHyuqd8kHf4sU9xPPQSHvVz3By6gcYldsHRaM7dJy1ITRE&amp;s=CC6NWEnKHG8Ax6ge2zJYX3oNjjIV20jLV6MV9VJRsqY&amp;e=\">Division of Unclaimed Funds<\/a>\u00a0is reminding Ohioans to check for any potential money they might have waiting to be claimed. Whether the money is in your name, a loved one\u2019s name, or your business, all it takes is a couple of minutes to see if you have money waiting for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unclaimed funds come from a variety of sources, including dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, stocks and bonds, utility deposits, or unclaimed wages. Last year at this time, the Division launched a new system that streamlines how Ohioans search for, claim, and track their unclaimed funds. If it\u2019s been a while since you last searched for funds, now\u2019s a good time to check again. That\u2019s because funds are reported to the Division throughout the year by banks and other entities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are the top five reasons to search for and claim your missing money right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Searching is quick, free and easy \u2013\u00a0Conducting an online search takes just a few minutes at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=http-3A__unclaimedfunds.ohio.gov&amp;d=DwMFAg&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=FC13PzDbVZ8qhVsUeHYgLJLYUVcrkfTA5q3JvQduqoI&amp;m=hqvOfXs-pzRrpLED2doHyuqd8kHf4sU9xPPQSHvVz3By6gcYldsHRaM7dJy1ITRE&amp;s=qqHke_ozjPUldblQWBwRealU38i2JHGtIZ3HywjkAD4&amp;e=\">unclaimedfunds.ohio.gov<\/a>. There&#8217;s no cost and the process is secure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Financial boost for important needs \u2013\u00a0Recovered funds can help pay bills, increase savings or cover unexpected expenses, providing real value when reinvested in your financial health.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Decade deadline\u00a0<strong>\u2013\u00a0<\/strong>Ohioans have 10 years to claim any unclaimed funds that have been reported to the Division. In addition, if any funds reported this year and going forward are not claimed within 10 years, then they will be considered abandoned and will no longer be claimable.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Get peace of mind \u2013\u00a0If this has been on your to-do list for a while, think of how relieved you\u2019ll feel once you start the process of putting this money back where it belongs \u2013 in your pocket.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It\u2019s a win-win \u2013\u00a0There is no downside. Searching for unclaimed funds is free, and you might discover money you didn\u2019t realize you, or even a loved one, have. Even small amounts can add up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to conducting searches, Ohioans can upload required documents and track their claims status without leaving the new platform. This system also offers greater communication with claimants about the status of their claim in the event items are missing that the Division needs in order to complete its review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis system was built with Ohioans in mind,\u201d said Division Superintendent Akil Hardy. \u201cBy leveraging technology, we\u2019ve made the search and claims process easier for claimants. I\u2019m proud of how our team has leveraged this new system to return even more money back to Ohioans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Division is still experiencing a historically high volume of claims due to increased public interest and media coverage surrounding unclaimed funds. It\u2019s important to note that each claim is different and processing times can vary based on the complexity or simplicity of the claim, and if all of the required documentation is submitted in a timely manner. Incomplete document submission remains one of the main reasons for slow processing times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn more about best practices for claiming your funds, check out our recent release about&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/urldefense.proofpoint.com\/v2\/url?u=https-3A__u36632242.ct.sendgrid.net_ls_click-3Fupn-3Du001.Alvp-2D2BpzYTQ-2D2BckF-2D2FqPZDgy9nmwvpD88wOWwzHu6vVSQ6feb1h5kyDNULJ5OZEprv-2D2F3zyVuQAyY82MMSxdVxQ1zBy8Xcg2KvDYBHqTwUE5GCoelkpNhT1b-2D2FlEsvgv-2D2BFFsFcLIMlTil54zFc57-2D2BnJ9fvhBbchL5lJDKsh3JPVYqEqY5gpCaXT8Cry185Kom3-2D2BtYwEco-5FpIbxPfpDI69aAybPrpOfg13-2D2BnRq9m1GIM7tuH7cFM0nEfbYl-2D2FmSTl0Gh1qvrOwJaQQoCyyYAZLndF7rMTExMK21RvZezA7K8S95oxs-2D2BpeSkvzxI4yNwsnz-2D2FkPk1RRpEt-2D2BPXwtNLcx2kJtxKHq601airqWrhy2TsU0sUauE9FLdtaqggbOoyJQYXvo-2D2BifcUeSSnI63os7bkvHFeb319PKHJYvDXKYQbmBQv-2D2BrTh6uKx1xpBdnzJqfw-2D2BjDMk-2D2BeoS7HFJH8nBqDDi5GAyv-2D2B2k30C-2D2FDMhVFRnTjAFvCsNwDyYHTiGjY8zF-2D2BLFvkg50U5DZ7-2D2FCUEyE15fFHVAr-2D2FooGa00JLTMfZX3n145kHfmlZ-2D2BiGOk-2D3D&amp;d=DwMFAg&amp;c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&amp;r=FC13PzDbVZ8qhVsUeHYgLJLYUVcrkfTA5q3JvQduqoI&amp;m=hqvOfXs-pzRrpLED2doHyuqd8kHf4sU9xPPQSHvVz3By6gcYldsHRaM7dJy1ITRE&amp;s=UNkh_UxfyffaUY7UHs3mgppRTSsOUpsgS5VRWhhtzSg&amp;e=\">the do\u2019s and don\u2019ts of claiming your unclaimed funds.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Editor&#8217;s note: Franklin Freytag is the public information officer for the Ohio Department of Commerce. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Franklin Freytag COLUMBUS &#8212;\u00a0In recognition of National Unclaimed Funds Month in February, the\u00a0Ohio Department of Commerce\u00a0Division of Unclaimed Funds\u00a0is reminding Ohioans to check for any potential money they might have waiting to be claimed. Whether the money is in your name, a loved one\u2019s name, or your business, all it takes is a couple [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[72],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-202888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-opinions"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-13 07:24:49","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=202888"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202888\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":202894,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202888\/revisions\/202894"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=202888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=202888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=202888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}