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Unclaimed Property in New Jersey Basics

Locate NJ unclaimed property for your business

By Emmet McMahan
Unclaimed property in New Jersey basics include the fact that a financial asset that has been abandoned for a certain amount of time may be considered unclaimed property. Businesses, such as financial institutions, may hold unclaimed property for a specified period of time before turning it over to the state of New Jersey. The period of time that a business may retain this property is known as the abandonment period.

The state must attempt to locate the owners of New Jersey state unclaimed property. These methods are specified by law and typically include mailing letters to the last known address of the owner and taking out advertisements in local newspapers. There are generally three types of information sources on unclaimed property in New Jersey:
  1. Government websites. These sources of New Jersey abandoned property have official information on recovering unclaimed property in New Jersey.
  2. Commercial websites. These sources may be commercial sites that sell unclaimed property services and also provide a summary of New Jersey unclaimed property.
  3. Websites of local governments. Counties in New Jersey may attempt to locate the owners of unclaimed property on their own before handing it over to the state.

 

Find state agencies that deal with unclaimed property in NJ

The state of New Jersey administrates unclaimed property that it receives from businesses and government entities throughout the state. New Jersey also has specific laws that regulate unclaimed property.
Try: The State of New Jersey Department of the Treasury provides a basic definition of unclaimed property in New Jersey. The New Jersey Legislature describes the legal conditions that apply to abandoned property in New Jersey.

Learn about NJ abandoned property from private sources

There are many businesses that provide searches of unclaimed property in New Jersey. While these companies may charge a fee for these services, they often provide free information about unclaimed property in New Jersey.
Try: Keefe Bartels Clark specializes in unclaimed property lawsuits for New Jersey and provides specific information on recovering unclaimed property in New Jersey. New Jersey Natural Gas provides a search of unclaimed property for its customers.

Look for state of state of NJ state unclaimed property in local jurisdictions

Allegheny County provides its procedure for turning unclaimed New Jersey escheat to the state of New Jersey. Beaver County maintains a list of unclaimed property for residents in that county.
Try: Somerset County provides an overview of its procedures for holding unclaimed property. The Denville Township Police Department holds periodic auctions of unclaimed property in its property unit.

 

  • A treasure trove is a specific type of state of NJ unclaimed property in which currency is intentionally hidden by the owner. In order to be a treasure trove, the property must have been hidden sufficiently long ago that the owner is assumed to be dead or cannot be located. American common law generally holds that a treasure trove belongs to the finder.

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