Unclaimed millions list updated

An updated list of owners of millions of dollars of unclaimed money is available on our website.

The amounts range from small sums through to just over $371,000 in one case.

We've got records back to 1973 of nearly 97,000 cases of unclaimed money. More than $55 million is involved and we'd encourage anyone who thinks they may have a claim to contact us.

It's important people understand unclaimed money has nothing to do with tax refunds. Most unclaimed money is from deposits in banks or other financial institutions and includes insurance proceeds, cheques or wages.

The institution holding the funds is responsible for making every effort to find the owner, but under the Unclaimed Monies Act 1971, funds left untouched for more than six years are required to be paid to Inland Revenue.

Because people move around so much it can be hard to track them down, so ultimately the money is handed over to Inland Revenue. In the past year we've been able to return more than $1.7 million in unclaimed money.

The updated list of names covers the five year period to 30 September 2010. Read the unclaimed monies list.

Anyone who believes they may be entitled to unclaimed money, should email unclaimed.monies@ird.govt.nz or write to:

Unclaimed Monies
Inland Revenue
P O Box 38222
Wellington Mail Centre 5045

People who wish to make a claim need to forward their name, address, IRD number, and proof of identity (such as a copy of a birth certificate, driver's licence or passport) to the Inland Revenue postal address.

Date published: 05 Nov 2010

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