A photo illustration of money. (Getty Images)
LINCOLN — “Free money” sounds like a scam. But on Feb. 1 in Nebraska, it’s real. Nebraska State Treasurer Tom Briese wants to give Nebraskans back their money and long-lost property.
Then-State Sen. Tom Briese of Albion speaks on the floor of the Nebraska Legislature. He is now state treasurer. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)
It’s Unclaimed Property Day in Nebraska, the day the state reminds people to check online at www.nebraskalostcash.gov for lost property and cash being held by the state.
In 2022, the Treasurer’s Office received $29.4 million worth of property. That includes lost last paychecks, money from unused gift cards and retirement savings from old jobs.
People checking the website or calling the Treasurer’s Office in 2022 reclaimed $18.2 million worth from the treasurer, according to the state’s most recent available figures.
The state has paid out an average of 15,750 claims a year over the past three years, including 22,221 in 2023.