This is money that for one reason or another has not made its way to the pockets of those it belongs to – and now, people are able to quickly search to see if they might be eligible to claim some of it.
So far in 2021, Revenue NSW has been able to return about $5 million to its rightful owners.
The government holds the money indefinitely, from sources as varied as share dividends, trust accounts, refunds, commissions, and deceased estates.
In some cases, the money dates back to interrupted transactions that were meant to take place decades ago, but even if the original intended recipient has since died, there are options for the heirs.
However, deceased estates can be complicated, so people are advised to seek legal advice before submitting a claim, if they believe they are entitled to the money left in limbo.
NSW Finance Minister Damien Tudehope said it was a good time to let people know they might be entitled to a little extra depth in their pockets.
“We know many people have been doing it tough, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and households are having to keep a close eye on their budget, which is why I encourage people to get online and check, it only takes a few minutes,” he said.
“This isn’t Government money – this money belongs to the people of NSW and I want to make sure it goes back to its rightful owners.”
People can conduct a search of varying complexity, but at its simplest, anybody can pop their name into the engine and check out what comes up.
The databases themselves offer an interesting look at where the heaviest concentrations of money are.
Unsurprisingly, the Sydney postcode of 2000, based on the city centre, has the most unclaimed money up for grabs, with more than $10 million stemming from more than 16,000 claims.
At the other end of the scale, postcode 2331, covering Singleton Military Area and Singleton Milpo, has just $426 spread across three claims.
Revenue NSW information also shows the most common sources of the missing money, with payments and overpayments totalling 289,051 of the current tally of 1,136,893 items – the largest share.
Dividends (268,754 items) and unpresented cheques (254,886 items) were also common – compared to wages (305 items) and retirement savings account benefits (just three).
The information provided on this website is general in nature only and does not constitute personal financial advice. The information has been prepared without taking into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any information on this website you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.
This content first appear on 9news