Ohio launches campaign urging residents to claim $4.8 billion in unclaimed funds

Ohio officials have launched a statewide advertising campaign featuring Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel encouraging residents to search for their share of roughly $4.8 billion in unclaimed funds held by the state.

The Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of Unclaimed Funds announced the campaign this week. Television, radio and digital advertisements encourage Ohioans to search the state’s online database for dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, utility deposits, stocks, bonds, unclaimed wages and other property.

The advertisements use everyday examples, such as forgotten sunglasses, phone chargers and event tickets, to remind Ohioans that they may also have money waiting to be claimed.

“It only takes a few minutes to check if there is money that belongs to you or your family,” Tressel said in a statement. “I encourage every Ohioan to visit the website, do a quick search, and make sure they aren’t leaving behind something that’s theirs”

The campaign follows changes approved in House Bill 96, signed by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine in June 2025, which established a 10-year deadline for most unclaimed funds before they become state property and directed money toward increasing public awareness of the program.

The Division returned more than $149.6 million to Ohioans through 67,879 claims in 2025, according to state officials. During the fiscal year that ended June 30, the Division processed more than 182,000 claims, a 168% increase from the previous year.

Division Superintendent Akil Hardy said the agency has made several changes to speed up the claims process, including eliminating notarization requirements, removing W-9 forms from many claims and hiring additional staff.

“Reuniting Ohioans with their hard-earned money is at the heart of our mission,” Hardy said. “Our goal is simple: we want every Ohioan to know that if they’ve left something behind, we’re here to help them get it back.”

This campaign comes as litigation continues over a separate provision of HB 96 that authorizes the use of certain unclaimed funds for sports facility projects, including a proposed state contribution toward a new Cleveland Browns stadium.

As Ohio.News previously reported, a Franklin County magistrate issued a preliminary injunction in March blocking the state from transferring money from the Unclaimed Funds Trust Account for those projects while the constitutional challenge proceeds. The ruling does not prevent the Division of Unclaimed Funds from continuing to process claims or return money to Ohioans.

Ohioans can search for unclaimed property through the state’s online database by entering their name and basic identifying information.