State law requires unclaimed property to be held until the owners or a suitable heir is located. The average claim is around $300.00.

With that in mind, our state treasurer is trying to return more than $874 million to the rightful owners. An estimated one in ten Missourians have assets that have been turned over to the state from closed bank accounts, uncollected insurance policies, uncashed checks and other sources.

Here in the 16th District, there are approximately 75,477 people with unclaimed assets. A total of $7,600,500.28 is waiting to be returned to the owners. There is no fee to check the database or to receive your claims.

To see if you have any property to claim, check online in three simple steps:

• Search the online unclaimed property database for your name at ShowMeMoney.com;
• If you find a match, select "File a Claim" and follow the easy steps to complete it; and finally;
• Receive your unclaimed property free of charge.

As always, I encourage my constituents to contact me throughout the year with comments, questions or suggestions by calling my office at (573) 751-5713. To find more information about the bills I sponsor, visit www.senate.mo.gov/brown.