November 14, 2019
Welcome! I am excited to introduce my new blog, The Need to Know. I will be sharing knowledge, tips, stories, and more. I want my readers to be informed as well as entertained. I’ll be honest here, this won’t all be “need” to know. Because knowledge can sometimes be just for fun. Of course everyone’s idea of fun is different. As a PI, all knowledge is fun to me. I love to learn new things. Maybe that’s why I became a PI. To do this job well one requires a strong need to know! So let’s get started with something fun.
Did you know that the government has databases you can search for unclaimed money that may belong to you or someone you know? Well, they do! Common types of unclaimed property include old savings or checking accounts, stocks, uncashed dividends or payroll checks, trust distributions, insurance payments or refunds, utility security deposits - too many to list. Generally, states maintain these databases and you can search them for free. The federal government offers a site that is helpful for getting you started on your search. In California it is the State Controller’s office that maintains this list. But don’t stop there. You should search in any state where you have lived.
You probably won’t get rich doing this - many of the refunds are for just a few bucks. But you can search for free, so why not? Happy hunting!