I-Team: Claiming missing money

(WWLP) - There is more than $2 Billion of your money sitting in the state's bank.

The 22News I-Team is working for you reconnecting people with their lost money.

It's feels like winning the lottery, except it's your money in the first place.

It's called unclaimed property, but most of it is cold hard cash you or a family member lost track of.   Stocks, bonds, closed savings accounts, matured CD's, life insurance payouts all waiting for you to claim them.  State Treasurer Steve Grossman is in charge of this money. 

"We've got about $2.4 Billion in unclaimed property.  That's is Billion not Million”, says Treasurer Grossman. 

The 22News I-Team got a list of close to 1500 people in Western Massachusetts that have as much $350,000 tied up in the state's bank.  We went to several homes to try and reconnect people with their lost money. 

The I-Team went to several senior centers and found out some people that are missing money, have died.  The person in charge of their estate can claim that money. 

"If your grandmother died 17 years ago and you can come to us and if you can demonstrate if you are the rightful heir then you will get that money and you'll get interest up until the day we send you the check”, says Treasurer Grossman.

Going home to home we found some people that already knew about the money.  As well as one man in East Longmeadow that is owed close to a quarter of a million dollars he had no idea about.   Treasurer Grossman told the I-Team the state returned $83 Million dollars in cash last year. 

The I-Team is working with these families to make sure they collect.  

To see if you have any missing money you can call 888.344.MASS or go to the state's unclaimed property website, findmassmoney.com

Below is a partial list of people and businesses in Western Massachusetts that have money in the state's bank and can collect.