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Revenue Offering Unclaimed Property Returns, Auctions

en.wikipedia.org

The state Department of Revenue administers the unclaimed property from state residents and periodically holds auctions for the general public.

The unclaimed property program was moved a couple of years ago to Revenue and spokesperson Stephanie Marquis says because they have tax records they have been able to match those records with unclaimed property...

"......we've been able to give away millions of dollars of property in just a short period of time because of those matching records. For example, last year in June when we began the program, we returned nearly $12 million to almost 100,000 persons in just three months...."

She says it might be a checking account,dividend or insurance policy, and people might not realize they are the heir to this property.....

".....the organizations who hold this property meet their requirements under law to find the owners.When they can't., they turn it over to the Department of Revenue and then we hold onto it and try to identify the folks that it belongs to...."

An auction is underway through April 12 that includes coins, jewelry and collectibles. Often individuals lose track of possessions in safety deposit boxes and many other reasons for the state to come into possession of the unclaimed items.

Marquis says you can visit the Department's Unclaimed Property webpage for more information about the program. You can also search an online database for unclaimed property in Wisconsin.

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