Massachusetts Treasury Auto-Approves $5.2 Million in Unclaimed Funds

The Massachusetts State Treasury is mailing notifications this week to 61,358 residents who have qualified for automatic approval of their unclaimed funds. The total value of these specific claims is $5,203,486, averaging approximately $85 per individual. This initiative, named Claim Mass Money, marks the first time the Unclaimed Property Division has contacted residents directly to trigger an automated payout process.

Under the new protocol, recipients do not need to search the state database or file a traditional paper claim. The division used data from LexisNexis to verify ownership and identify eligible holders. Each letter contains a unique claim number that residents enter at FindMassMoney.gov to confirm their information and complete the simplified online transaction.

State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg stated that the goal is to make it as easy as possible for residents to recover money that belongs to them. Her team spent several months developing the program after identifying external restrictions that previously limited the division's ability to cross-reference data to find owners.

Fiscal year 2026 represents the highest volume of returns in the division's history. The office processed over 118,000 claims and returned more than $226 million to owners. Over the last five years, the division has returned more than $1 billion in unclaimed property.

Despite these returns, a substantial amount of money remains in state custody. The state currently holds $3.4 billion in unclaimed property, and nearly one in ten residents has funds waiting for them. The treasury advises residents to verify that any letter is official by checking that it directs them specifically to FindMassMoney.gov and clearly identifies the Massachusetts State Treasury.

Residents should not pay any fees to claim their funds, as the process is free through the Unclaimed Property Division. If a call or message requests payment or directs users to a different website, the treasury suggests calling the official line at 888-344-MASS to verify. Those who did not receive a letter can still search for their name for free on the state website, which covers bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance policies, and safe deposit box contents.

There is no deadline for claiming unclaimed property in Massachusetts. Residents who lived or worked in other states may also have funds in those jurisdictions, which can be searched simultaneously through MissingMoney.com.