Massachusetts mails letters to claim $5.2 million in forgotten funds

Thousands of Massachusetts residents will begin receiving physical mailers this week with a direct path to cash they may not know they own. The state treasury is launching a new program called Claim Mass Money. This initiative allows people to claim funds online without filling out traditional paper forms or submitting extra documents.

The Unclaimed Property Division is using data from LexisNexis to identify owners of dormant accounts. Eligible claims are approved automatically under this new system. This is the first time the division has contacted residents directly in this manner. Previously, external restrictions limited the state's ability to cross-reference data to find owners.

State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg led the effort to build this program over several months. She stated that the goal is to make it as easy as possible for residents to recover money that belongs to them. In a statement released on October 26, Goldberg emphasized the focus on simplicity for claimants.

In fiscal year 2026, 61,358 claims qualified for this fast-track process. The total value of those claims was $5,203,486. The average payout per claim was approximately $85. Overall, the division processed more than 118,000 claims and returned over $226 million in fiscal year 2026. This is the highest amount in the division's history. Over the last five years, the state has returned more than $1 billion.

Each official letter will include a unique claim number. Recipients will use that number to log in to FindMassMoney.gov. They will confirm their personal details and complete a simplified online process. The state currently holds $3.4 billion in unclaimed property. Nearly one in ten residents has money waiting in the system.

The treasury advises residents to be cautious of scams. Official letters identify the Massachusetts State Treasury and direct users to FindMassMoney.gov. Claiming money directly through the division costs nothing. If a caller or message asks for a fee to release funds, it is not from the state. Residents can verify details by calling 888-344-MASS (6277).

People who do not receive a letter can still search for their names for free on the state database. Unclaimed property includes forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance policies, stocks, and safe deposit box contents. There is no deadline to claim these funds. Residents who lived or worked in other states can search multiple locations at once through MissingMoney.com.