More states join MissingMoney.com

Maine, New Mexico and Massachusetts recently joined MissingMoney.com, a

free national search engine that helps people find lost assets and unclaimed

property.

The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators and the Checkfree

Corp., launched the site last November. People can use it to search for

their rightful assets, including savings accounts, stocks, and pay checks

that may have been lost over time. To use the service, people simply enter

their last name and Zip code to see if any matches are returned.

"States are doing this because it offers them a new paradigm to extend their

public outreach," said Mike Meriton, president of MissingMoney.com. "It's

part of every state's mission statement to be the perpetual custodians of

assets and find their rightful owners."

Maine, New Mexico and Massachusetts make 21 states that are participating

in free database. Florida, Wisconsin, Iowa, Virginia and North Carolina

joined last November when the Web site launched. A dozen states' unclaimed

property listings can be searched on the site, and the rest will be added

as soon as their data is properly collected and formatted.

"We are very excited to join MissingMoney.com and offer New Mexico residents

another way to quickly locate lost assets," said John Chavez, the state's

Taxation and Revenue Department secretary. "New Mexico manages approximately

$38.5 million in unclaimed property, and we are working hard everyday to

return that property to the rightful owners as soon as possible."