Florida’s state coffers just got a lot lighter while residents’ wallets got a whole lot heavier. Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia announced today that the state returned a staggering $88 million in unclaimed property during February 2024, marking a brand-new monthly record for the program.
The Division of Unclaimed Property, which operates under the Department of Financial Services, manages assets that have been forgotten or left inactive for at least five years. These typically come from sources like old bank accounts, insurance payouts, uncashed checks, or forgotten utility deposits.
The record-breaking month saw millions distributed across every corner of the state, with the Tampa and St. Petersburg region leading the pack at $23.8 million returned. Miami followed closely behind with $18.8 million, while the Orlando area saw $14.4 million head back to its rightful owners.
Other regional totals included $12.9 million in West Palm Beach, $6.8 million in Jacksonville, and $4.9 million in the Fort Myers and Naples area. Smaller hubs like Pensacola and Tallahassee saw $2.6 million and $1.8 million returned, respectively, while Gainesville and Panama City also cleared over a million dollars each in claims.
“This record-breaking month of unclaimed property returns mean more money back into the pockets of Floridians,” CFO Ingoglia stated. “Our Division of Unclaimed Property is working tirelessly every day to return lost assets to their rightful owner. I encourage all Floridians to check out our website and see if they have unclaimed property waiting for them.”
While most people think of unclaimed property as digital numbers on a screen—like stocks, dividends, or credit balances—the state also handles physical goods. Items recovered from abandoned safe deposit boxes can include everything from jewelry and watches to rare coins, stamps, and historical artifacts.
Florida law requires businesses and government entities to hand these assets over to the state if they cannot locate the owner after a five-year period.
The process for reclaiming these assets is free and handled through the state’s official portal. Residents can search for their names or the names of deceased relatives to see if any funds are being held in their favor.
To check for a potential windfall or start a claim, the department directs the public to visit FLTreasureHunt.gov.
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