New Yorkers, check your mailboxes — a surprise check of up to $250 might be on its way, and you won’t even have to lift a finger to claim it. A recent update to New York’s abandoned property law now allows the state comptroller’s office to automatically send payments from unclaimed funds directly to residents.
The payouts will come from forgotten assets like utility deposits, old bank accounts, insurance policies, investments, gift cards, and estates. For many, that’s money they didn’t even realize they were owed.
The initiative is already in full swing. Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli’s office reports that more than $11 million has been distributed so far in 2025, with about $1.5 million processed daily. Some accounts date back as far as the 1940s. If you’re eligible, you could see a check in the mail as early as this month.
But the good news doesn’t stop there. Beyond the automatic payments, New Yorkers may be entitled to even larger sums. The comptroller’s office is sitting on a staggering $19 billion in unclaimed funds spread across 51 million accounts.
To help connect people with their money, the office is hosting a series of in-person events this January. “By bringing these events to communities across the state, we’re making it easier for individuals, businesses, and nonprofits to claim what’s rightfully theirs,” DiNapoli said in a statement.
Curious if there’s more money waiting for you? Start by searching your name — or the names of relatives and organizations you’re affiliated with — on the state comptroller’s website. If you can’t make it to one of the events, you can also file claims online or by calling 1-800-221-9311.
Here’s where you can find help this month:
- Jan. 8: St. Nick’s Alliance/Swinging Sixties Older Adult Center, Brooklyn, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Jan. 15: Wednesday of Wisdom at the Brooklyn Public Library/Central Library, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
- Jan. 29: Lunch and Learn at JASA Rockaway Park Older Adult Center, Queens, noon–1:30 p.m.
