Would you like to find some lost money?

According to Good Housekeeping magazine, 1 in 8 people in the United States has money waiting for them somewhere. Almost 23 billion dollars lies in old forgotten bank accounts, safe deposit boxes, and unpaid insurance settlements.

So, how do you find your lost money?

The best place to start is the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. They have detailed instructions on how to find your money and get it back.

If you think you're owed money, but your searches come up empty, call your State Treasurer's Office directly and ask to speak to someone in the Unclaimed Property Division.
Here's another tip: don't pay somebody else to find your money for you. You can do everything yourself for free.

If you want to keep your money from being lost, keep your accounts active. Write or call every financial institution you deal with at least once a year. And always pay your safe deposit box fee. Because some states will auction off the contents of delinquent accounts after only one year.