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Home » Business And Finance Articles » How To Find Your Unclaimed Money

How to Find Your Unclaimed Money

Unclaimed Money and unclaimed property searches are conducted by most Americans on an annual, if not biannual, basis. With over $25 billion in unclaimed money in the United States most people find money for themselves or one of their immediate family members. Unfortunately if the search is not done thoroughly you may miss money owed to you.

Here are 5 tips to help you search for your unclaimed money:

1 - Search for variations of your name

For example a person named William J. Smith may have money under W. Smith, Bill Smith, W J Smith, etc. Search all possible name variations to ensure the unclaimed money account was not listed under a variation of your name.

2 - Look in ALL state and federal databases

The missing funds are reported in state and federal databases. You may have money in any of the over 54 databases. Even if you have only lived in one state you may still have money in another states database. If you were owed money from a life insurance policy from a company in New York, that company may report the money in the New York state database. An inheratance may be in the benefactor's state database. If you search only your state of residency you may miss money owed to you.

3 - Know all past addresses of the person whose name you are searching

When you do a missing money search you will be given the results that match the searched name. The results may not all be an accurate match. You will have to search the results based on name and past address or account information. It could be under any address the person had in their lifetime.

4 - Use a quality, all-in-one database

To search all state and federal databases would take a tremendous amount of time and you would most likely give up before you completed all of the searches. It is much more efficient to use an all in one database. There are many of these databases but make sure you use a QUALITY database. What makes a "QUALITY" database? A quality database is one that is constantly updated, which will update new missing money accounts reported and will remove claimed accounts. It will also include ALL state and federal databases.

There is a site called missingmoney.com that includes 30 states and is updated frequently. Cash Unclaimed includes over 54 databases and has round the clock research team dedicated to updates for the database. www.cashunclaimed.com is the only site with the patent pending Name Match technology. Name match will automatically search all name variations of the searched name! This takes the work out of it for the user.

5 - Follow through with the claim process for all found money accounts

Once you locate money owed to you print the necessary forms and make the copies of the ID's or documents needed to process the claim. Usually the required forms are driver's license or a death or birth certificate and you may need to fill out a claim form or two. This process should only take you about 15 minutes or so. Then send in the claim forms! If the claims forms aren't sent in you'll never get the money that's owed to you.

Following these simple tips when searching for your share of the nation's unclaimed money will greatly increase your found accounts and make sure none are overlooked. Search and find how much is owed to you today!

Cash Unclaimed is the largest unclaimed property database, including all state and federal databases. CashUnclaimed.com was founded to assist owners in easily locating and claiming their lost funds. The site offers more information on unclaimed money and a free search at www.cashunclaimed.com.

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Using Your Health Savings Account to Pay for International Travel

Medical tourism first began to get popular in the 1990's, when people began traveling in large numbers to Brazil for cosmetic surgery. But as costs have continued to rise, thousands of Americans have been traveling overseas for real medical conditions, such as knee replacements, by-pass operations, heart valve replacements, and other serious issues. Many countries are seeing medical tourism as a good way to bring in foreign money.

In many cases the quality of medicine available overseas is equal to the top hospitals in the U.S. Patients are showing up in places like the Apollo Hospital in India, which is part of a 36-hospital chain founded by a cardiologist from Massachusetts General. A heart valve replacement may cost $50,000 to $100,000 in the U.S., and only $12,000 in India, including travel costs.

Escorts Heart Institute and Research Center, in Delhi, India, is another popular medical tourist destination. It was founded by Dr. Naresh Trehan, an authority on robotic cardiac surgery formerly based at New York University.

Blue Cross Blue Shield has just announced that they will pay for treatment at Bumrungrad International Hospital, in Bangkok, Thailand for individuals from South Carolina. Over 80,000 Americans received treatment there last year. The hospital boasts that over 200 of its doctors are board-certified in the U.S, and will perform a knee replacement operation for 20 percent of what it would cost in the U.S.

Who Does This?

Dodie Gilmore is a 60 year-old rodeo barrel-racing champ from Oklahoma. She runs a 180 acre ranch, but could no longer ride a horse because she needed a hip replacement. Her health insurance plan had an exclusion that wouldn't cover her operation, and she really didn't feel like paying the $35,000 it would cost her. Instead she and her partner flew to India where she had the surgery at the Max Institute of Orthopedics and Joint Replacement.

Her physician was Dr. S.K.S. Marya, who averages one American hip-replacement patient every week. Dodie's total coast, including travel, was only $11,000. She even managed to take in a tour of the Taj Mahal.

Forty to Sixty percent of those surveyed say they would consider surgery abroad if it could save them $5,000 or more. Going out of the U.S. (perhaps even just to Mexico), could be a worthwhile strategy if you have an exclusionary waiver on your policy, if you'll be having elective surgery not covered by your health insurance policy, or if you have a high deductible plan.

What is the Risk?

According to the Institute of Medicine, over 100,000 accidental deaths occur in hospitals every year. And that's here in the U.S. Hospitals are a dangerous place to be, and you want to spend as little of your life in one as possible. So there are risks everywhere, and probably greater risks outside the U.S.

But the magic of the free-market does give you some protection. There is a lot of money flowing to countries and international hospitals that practice high-quality medicine. If a hospital does not provide quality service, you can bet its customers will go elsewhere, particularly if they are choosing among anywhere in the world.

The influx of foreign patients (and money) is enticing more western-trained doctors to return home, so the choices are actually increasing, and the quality and prices continue to improve. I believe that if you use care in choosing your provider and structuring your treatment, the risks are no greater than having surgery here in the U.S.

How to Research Your Options

Keep in mind that most health insurance plans still will not cover for treatment outside the U.S., especially if you are traveling to receive medical care. So check with your insurer if the cost of the treatment is going to exceed your deductible.

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations certifies hospitals here in the U.S. Their international division, Joint Commission International, certifies hospitals throughout the rest of the world. Make sure the facility that you are considering has been certified by them.

Then check out your doctor. Confirm that he or she is English speaking, and was trained in the U.S., U.K., Australia, or Germany.

Finally, consider hiring a consultant to help you choose the best hospital and surgeon for your needs. A good service will not only set up the treatment, but can also arrange all travel plans, meet you at the airport, and act as your liaison while you are being treated.

If you spend money from your Health Savings Account to pay for international medical care, the amount you withdraw is tax-free. Health Savings Account regulations also allow you to cover the cost of your travel if the reason you are traveling to get medical care is not "for purely personal reasons."

When choosing how to manage your health, you should carefully consider all your options. International travel is a great option for people with Health Savings Accounts.