HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity is using the nation’s 250th Independence Day celebration to encourage residents to search for unclaimed property, saying roughly $80 million is owed to people and organizations whose names include patriotic terms such as “America,” “Liberty,” “Freedom” and “Flag.”
The promotion is part of a broader effort by the Treasury Department to return more than $5 billion in unclaimed property held by the state.
“As we celebrate 250 years of the greatest country on Earth this weekend, Pennsylvanians might discover some unexpected celebrations of their own by searching for unclaimed property,” Garrity said in a statement.
Pennsylvania’s unclaimed property program consists of dormant financial assets that have been turned over to the state after periods of inactivity. The assets can include forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, stocks, insurance proceeds and the contents of abandoned safe deposit boxes, including jewelry, collectible coins and other valuables.
Treasury estimates that more than one in 10 Pennsylvanians are owed unclaimed property, with the average claim exceeding $1,000.
Since taking office in 2021, Garrity said the Treasury Department has returned more than $1 billion in unclaimed property to individuals, businesses, nonprofits and other organizations.
The state maintains an online database that allows residents to search for unclaimed property at https://patreasury.gov/unclaimed-property. Pennsylvanians who have lived in other states can also search for assets held elsewhere through https://www.missingmoney.com.
The Treasury Department’s America250-themed outreach campaign comes as states across the country use the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence to promote civic and educational initiatives ahead of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebrations in 2026.
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