| If the Midwest is America's breadbasket, it's might | | | | organizers and the city of Hutchinson," she adds. |
| mostly be because of Kansas, who's Sumner | | | | "The State Fair is a good old fashioned family |
| County is known as The Wheat Capital of the | | | | tradition and part of what makes our state so |
| World. According to recent reports, the Kansas | | | | great." |
| State Treasury's Unclaimed Property Division has | | | | According to the National Association of Unclaimed |
| become a basket for another vital commodity. | | | | Property Administrators (NAUPA), Treasury |
| Not edible, but definitely more sought after- | | | | Departments in each of the 50 states are |
| American currency in the form of Kansas | | | | holding-on to over $35 billion in unclaimed assets, |
| unclaimed money. | | | | belonging to American citizens. Unclaimed property |
| Over $20 million in Kansas unclaimed property is | | | | outreach programs like the one Kansas State |
| collected by the state each year. These funds | | | | Treasurer Jenkins promotes are only slightly |
| come from abandoned financial assets turned | | | | making-up for the lack of a centralized |
| over by banks, insurance companies and other | | | | government database for unclaimed assets. |
| financial entities who are by law required to hand | | | | Approximately 928,303 owners of roughly $200 |
| them over to the state after 3-5 years | | | | million unclaimed money in Kansas are still |
| depending on the item. Lost assets come from | | | | unaccounted for though, and the Kansas |
| old checking accounts, abandoned savings | | | | Unclaimed Property Division of the Treasury |
| accounts, bonds, dividends, old paychecks, child | | | | Department will hold on to the KS unclaimed |
| support payments, alimony payments, and other | | | | money until residents and other citizens nationwide |
| similar funds whose owners have somehow lost | | | | come to claim it. |
| track of or inherited without their knowing it. | | | | Fortunately, people don't have to wait for the |
| Lynn Jenkins, Kansas State Treasurer, tries to | | | | Kansas State Fair to come around in order to |
| reunite as much of the unclaimed money in | | | | check if they are owed Kansas unclaimed funds. |
| Kansas to her state's residents through outreach | | | | The individual states maintain databases for |
| programs for owners of the Kansas unclaimed | | | | unclaimed money owners now and an unclaimed |
| funds. Her office sets-up booths in public places | | | | money search can be done anywhere there's an |
| like shopping malls and the Kansas State Fair in | | | | Internet connection. So, if you need extra funds |
| Hutchinson. An average of $700,000 is handed-out | | | | ASAP, you can actually do an online search right |
| yearly in the fair to mostly surprised owners of | | | | now from where you are. The tricky part is doing |
| the lost money. "We always look forward to | | | | a search for unclaimed money in several state |
| attending the fair," says Jenkins in a recent press | | | | databases (a good idea for those who've lived in |
| release. "It gives us an opportunity to meet fellow | | | | various states). A centralized database for national |
| Kansans and for them to search our records for | | | | unclaimed money does not exist, so it's quite |
| their lost or forgotten cash and property." "As | | | | easy to go on an online wild goose chase if you |
| always, we were very impressed with the fair | | | | don't know where and how to look. |