The Pennsylvania Treasury Department is set to distribute checks for unclaimed property directly to thousands of residents.
The Money Match program comes as the department is able to eliminate the need for residents to navigate bureaucratic processes.
Under the new program, checks will be mailed to more than 8,000 Pennsylvanians identified as owners of unclaimed property, with each piece valued up to $500. The effort marks a first for the state in terms of returning property without the usual requirement for claims or paperwork, according to the state treasury.
The checks will total more than $2 million.
“This is a truly historic day,” said Treasurer Garrity, a Republican. “For the first time ever, we’re returning unclaimed property to hardworking Pennsylvanians without requiring them to file a claim or submit any paperwork at all. We truly cut red tape out of state government – and how often does that happen? If you receive a Money Match letter, read it and keep it! About 45 days later, your unclaimed property will arrive in the form of a check from the Pennsylvania Treasury Department.”
The state plans to issue these payments in at least three batches throughout 2025.
While the Money Match program applies only to single-owner properties, amounts involving higher values or multiple owners will still require traditional claiming processes, officials said.
The program’s announcement follows the state’s most lucrative unclaimed property auction ever, which occurred last October, raising more than $605,000—double the amount of the previous record in 2023.
Unclaimed property typically includes dormant or forgotten assets such as bank accounts, stocks, uncashed dividends or payroll checks, and utility security deposits. Tangible items, housed in the treasury’s vault, range from collectible coins and jewelry to military medals and other valuables left in safe deposit boxes.
Currently, the treasury reports holding more than $4.5 billion in unclaimed property, with an average claim value of about $1,600.
Officials estimate that one in ten Pennsylvanians has some form of unclaimed property.
Garrity has warned of a rise in scam attempts, often through unsolicited text messages claiming to help individuals claim their unclaimed property. The Pennsylvania Treasury Department noted that it does not use text messages for outreach related to its programs.
Residents interested in determining whether they have unclaimed property can search the state’s database or contact the treasury’s Bureau of Unclaimed Property directly by email at tupmail@patreasury.gov or by phone at 800-222-2046.
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