Podcast Summary: Optimal Finance Daily, Episode 3379

Title: Snatch Up Your Long Lost Money
Date: December 7, 2025
Host: Diania Merriam
Featured Content by: J. Money of BudgetsAreSexy.com

Episode Overview

In this episode, Diania Merriam narrates and comments on a blog post by J. Money titled "Snatch Up Your Long Lost Money," which explores the surprisingly prevalent issue of unclaimed assets in the United States and how listeners can track down and recover lost or forgotten funds. The episode provides practical steps for searching for unclaimed money, shares personal anecdotes to illustrate the process, and highlights additional resources for finding lost assets—including retirement benefits.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Hidden Treasure Trove: Billions in Unclaimed Money

• Massive Scale of the Problem:
  • J. Money cites that "millions of people are missing out on billions of dollars they've forgotten about over the years. $58 billion to be exact." (01:24)
  • On average, individuals who claim lost funds find $892 per person.
• Personal Story:
  • J. Money shares a humorous anecdote about his wife's tendency to forget about money: "If I didn't know better, I'd think she's allergic to money." (02:03)
  • He recounts successfully reclaiming a decade-old paycheck worth $355.38 for her, demonstrating that these programs are legitimate.

What is Unclaimed Money?

• Definition:
  • "Unclaimed property, sometimes referred to as abandoned, refers to accounts in financial institutions and companies that have had no activity, generated or contact with the owner for one year or a longer period," as per Unclaimed.org. (03:00)
• Typical Examples:
  • Savings/checking accounts, stocks, uncashed dividends or payroll checks, refunds, traveler’s checks, unredeemed gift certificates, insurance payments, utility deposits, and safety deposit box contents.
• Universal Application:
  • Every U.S. state, plus D.C., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and several Canadian provinces have programs to help reunite citizens with lost assets.
  • "Even celebrities are owed money." Notable examples include Lindsay Lohan, Cindy Crawford, Justin Timberlake, and Barack Obama – each missing hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars. (04:31)

How to Search for and Claim Your Lost Money

• Step-by-Step Process:
  1. "Go to missingmoney.com and type in your name and state." (04:55)
  2. Refine the search if your name is common, using middle initials, city, or state for accuracy.
  3. If you find a possible match, answer verification questions and follow the site’s instructions to file a claim.
  4. Alternate option: Visit Unclaimed.org to find your state’s specific site.
• Pro Tip: Check not just for yourself, but also on behalf of relatives, friends, or even deceased loved ones (inheritance cases).
  • "Hook up your brothers and sisters and your mamas and your papas to make up for all the dumb stuff you ever put them through..." (06:16)
• Motivational Nudge:
  • "Hit up missingmoney.com right now before you click on the next shiny item you see online and grab your money. … It'll be the easiest money you've ever made." (06:56)

Host Commentary: Diania Merriam’s Takeaways

• Discovery of New Resource:
  • "While I've heard of Unclaimed.org, MissingMoney.com is new to me, so I definitely had some fun on that site after reading this article." (09:15)
  • Diania didn't find money for herself but found about $100 for her partner, highlighting the usefulness of searching for loved ones, too.
• Prevalence of Unclaimed Money:
  • "Approximately 1 out of every 10 Americans has unclaimed money waiting out there somewhere." (09:33)
• Broader Scope – Unclaimed Retirement Benefits:
  • Recommends searching the National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits for old 401(k)s and checking with tools like Beagle (for a fee).
  • "Even if you don’t find anything, a 401(k) could still be floating out there." (10:08)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• J. Money:
  • “If I didn’t know better, I’d think she’s allergic to money.” (02:03)
  • “More than likely there’ll be like 200 of you out there, so try to narrow the search...” (05:12)
  • “After you search for yourself, hook up your loved ones too...and even for money long lost and owed to your deceased loved ones…” (06:16)
  • “It’ll be the easiest money you’ve ever made. And in the future, never lose your money to begin with.” (06:56)
• Diania Merriam:
  • “[MissingMoney.com] is new to me, so I definitely had some fun on that site after reading this article.” (09:15)
  • “If you’ve ever banked anywhere, rented anything, put down a utility deposit, or given a gift card that the recipient didn’t use, you could have money waiting for you to claim.” (09:36)
  • “Approximately 1 out of every 10 Americans has unclaimed money waiting out there somewhere.” (09:33)
  • “You can search the National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits, which helps employers connect with former employees who have left assets behind in a retirement plan.” (10:01)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:23 – J. Money introduces the concept of unclaimed money and shares a personal anecdote
• 03:00 – Definition and examples of unclaimed property
• 04:31 – Celebrities and surprising recipients of unclaimed assets
• 04:55–06:56 – Step-by-step guide for searching and claiming unclaimed money
• 09:15 – Diania’s reaction and new discovery (MissingMoney.com)
• 09:33 – Prevalence and ways unclaimed money accumulates
• 10:01 – Retirement benefits: searching for lost 401(k)s

Practical Actions & Resources

• Primary Search Sites:
  • MissingMoney.com – National search engine for unclaimed property
  • Unclaimed.org – Directs users to state-specific programs
• Unclaimed Retirement Benefits:
  • National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits
  • Beagle – Paid service to find and rollover old 401(k) accounts
• Family & Friends:
  • Search for loved ones and help them with claims, including deceased relatives for inheritance cases

Tone & Style

The episode is lighthearted, encouraging, and empowering. J. Money infuses humor into the topic, making it approachable and relatable, while Diania Merriam’s commentary is enthusiastic and practical, urging listeners to take immediate action.

Final Motivational Word from the Episode:
"Even if you have to break it into two steps—searching, then filling stuff out—it’ll be the easiest money you’ve ever made." – J. Money (06:56)

For anyone interested in snagging forgotten cash, this episode provides not only motivation but a step-by-step roadmap to go hunting for your own lost or forgotten money. Check sites like MissingMoney.com, and don’t forget to share the love with friends and family!