State holding over $800,000 belonging to Washakie County residents

CHEYENNE – The state of Wyoming is holding over $91 million belonging to current and former residents of Wyoming – including a little more than $800,000 earmarked for those in Washakie County.

“We just recently helped Washakie County get paid a couple hundred dollars,” said Unclaimed Property Administrator Jeff Robertson. “We have also reached out to City of Worland and the county’s Predator Board – each are owed thousands of dollars – and we hope to get them paid in the near future.

According to Robertson, there are at least 15 individuals with a last known address in Worland owed over $5,000. There also are at least seven people in Ten Sleep owed over $1,000.

A little over a year ago, the Unclaimed Property Division of Wyoming State Treasurer’s Office upgraded its website and simplified the claims process.

“The easiest thing to do is to go to our website (www.mycash.wyo.gov) and watch the 2-minute video located on the left side of the page,” Robertson said. “It shows how you can search to see if you are entitled to any money and then how to complete the claims process.”

Wyoming State Treasurer Curt Meier said this is a tough time for many Wyoming residents, so finding even a little bit of money through Unclaimed Property can help those who are struggling.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has caused many challenges for all of us in Wyoming, as well as across the country,” Meier said. “Unclaimed Property is one source of funds many may not be thinking of during this time.”

Money and other types of unclaimed property, such as royalties, stocks, mutual funds and safe deposit boxes, are turned over to the state when a business, agency or governmental entity cannot locate the owner for a specified time period.

“Even if you have received unclaimed property in the past, more money is turned over every year,”

Robertson said. “Because of this, the amount of money being held by the state continues to increase.”

Wyoming’s Unclaimed Property Division issued 6,084 checks totaling more than $6.857 million in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2019.

To make a claim, owners will need to provide a valid ID. It can be uploaded directly to the website, emailed to [email protected] or mailed through USPS. Additional documentation may also be required depending on the property in question and complexity of the claim.

Wyoming law requires the state to hold unclaimed property in perpetuity until the rightful owner is able to claim it.

Those not comfortable or able to search the website from a computer or mobile device may call the Wyoming State Treasurer’s Office at 307-777-5590 for assistance, although there may be a wait times depending on demand.