Find Unclaimed Money and Property

Unclaimed retirement and pension accounts: You may be entitled to collect an abandoned defined-benefit pension or an unclaimed 401(k) plan.

HUD/FHA Mortgage Insurance refunds: If you had an FHA-insured mortgage, you may be eligible for a refund from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  

Funds owed to you by the Internal Revenue Service: Now wouldn’t that be a refreshing reversal of fortune if the IRS owed you? You may want to take a look if you think a refund check may have gotten lost in the mail or you did not file taxes one year due to your income situation. Visit the IRS website — "Where’s My Refund?" — or contact the IRS to refile or follow up on returns.

Class action lawsuits: As a consumer, it’s possible that you may be a plaintiff in a class action lawsuit as a result of something you bought, consumed or some other business you have transacted. Sometimes you get this information via the mail about a class action lawsuit against a company because of a faulty product. One of my friends was able to recover $118 in a class action suit against a car company because the manufacturer’s part was defective. This website provides updated listings of class action lawsuits and other information on the topic.

Government benefits: More than 1,000 benefit and assistance programs are available through the federal government. The U.S. government’s official website is designed to help citizens easily identify and access those benefit programs that may apply to them.

And, finally, a few words of caution: Never pay a stranger to help you collect unclaimed funds or other property rightfully due you. Also, don’t give out personal financial information (credit cards, bank accounts, Social Security number) to anyone offering to help you collect unclaimed assets — even if he is the third cousin of the exiled King of Burundi.

Jeff Yeager is the author of The Ultimate Cheapskate's Road Map to True Riches and The Cheapskate Next Door. His website is www.UltimateCheapskate.com and you can friend him on Facebook at JeffYeagerUltimateCheapskate or follow him on Twitter.