Feb. 1 is National Unclaimed Property Day, so if you think you might be missing out on unclaimed property, now is a great time to find out.

National Unclaimed Property Day is a nationwide initiative to raise awareness about the unclaimed property people might be missing out on.

In partnership with the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, Delaware’s Office of Unclaimed Property urges all Delawareans to “check for a check,” taking a few minutes to search for any unclaimed property they may be owed either in Delaware or another state, the office said.

What is unclaimed property?

Abandoned or unclaimed property includes uncashed paychecks, refunds and traveler’s checks; money left in old bank accounts; uncollected insurance payments; forgotten stocks and dividends; unreturned utility deposits; and unused balances on gift cards.

Each year, businesses are required to turn over these amounts to their states after a certain number of years if contact is lost between the property owner and the holder of the property.

Approximately 1 in 7 people may have unclaimed property held by Delaware or another state, and Delaware has returned more than $1.5 billion in cash and securities to more than 70,000 claimants during the last three fiscal years, reports Delaware’s Office of Unclaimed Property.

How to check if you have unclaimed property in Delaware, other states

Delawareans can check if they have unclaimed property held by Delaware or another state through Delaware’s unclaimed property website at www.unclaimedproperty.delaware.gov or at www.MissingMoney.com to search through 49 states at once.

MissingMoney.com is free to use and provides information and direct links to help unclaimed property owners begin the claims process. This website directly integrates with Delaware’s claims processing database for current information about unclaimed property.

Depending on the type of property, owners may need to submit a claim or additional documentation to proceed, said Delaware’s Office of Unclaimed Property.

New properties are added daily, so it’s wise to make a habit of checking on National Unclaimed Property Day and at least a few times before Feb. 1 rolls around next year.

The office also suggests that Delawareans keep an eye on their mailboxes this time of year for owner notification letters, which companies or holders of unclaimed property are required by law to send to each unclaimed property owner’s last known address prior to reporting the property to the state. Delaware has a spring reporting deadline of March 1, so residents might be able to avoid the escheatment of their property if they quickly respond to these letters.

Got a tip or a story idea? Contact Krys’tal Griffin at kgriffin@delawareonline.com.   

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This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Feb. 1 is National Unclaimed Property Day, how to reclaim property