Officials say they’re looking for the owners of unclaimed property.
In addition to the food, the rides and entertainment, you could find some unclaimed property at the county fairs and festivals this summer and fall in Maryland. The Comptroller’s Office staff will be setting up booths at each of these events and work with citizens to see if they have any unclaimed property. “We’re going to be trying to connect with more than 1-million Marylanders for whom we’re holding over $1-billion in unclaimed property that’s been turned over to us by banks and health care companies and financial institutions,” says Comptroller Peter Franchot.
That unclaimed property could include abandoned bank accounts, insurance benefits and security deposits, and the contents of safe deposit boxes. “It could be a health care company that sent you a $50, $75 reimbursement check that was returned to them because you moved to a new address and they can’t catch up with you,” says Franchot.
Last summer, the Comptroller’s Office says it returned more than $485,000 in unclaimed property to more than 4.200 people. “Last year, we returned to one 85-year-old woman in Rockville, Maryland her unclaimed property. How much was it? Her check was $1,061,000,” says Franchot.
He says not everyone who searches for unclaimed property will get that amount. One visitor to the Maryland State Fair last tear discovered an unexpected windfall of $13,204. Another person at the Montgomery County Fair found $23,036, and a visitor to 50+ Expo in Howard County was able to claim $35,186.
Franchot says even if the owners of unclaimed property are deceased, their heirs can claim the property. “Any heir of someone that’s passed away can apply for that money, and we will send it to them,” he says.
Here is a list of the fair and festivals that the Comptroller’s Staff will set up booth to assist citizens in finding unclaimed property:
African American Heritage Festival
July 2-3 M&T Bank Stadium (Lots B &C) 1101 South Russell St.
Baltimore, MD
Allegany County Fair
July 16-23 Allegany County Fairgrounds 11490 Moss Ave. Cumberland, MD
Montgomery County Fair August 12-20 16 Chestnut St.
Gaithersburg, MD
Maryland State Fair
August 26 to September 5
Maryland State Fairgrounds
2200 York Road
Timonium, MD
Prince George’s County Fair September 8-11
Show Place Arena
14900 Pennsylvania Ave.
Upper Marlboro, MD
Anne Arundel County Fair
September 14-18
Route 178
1450 Generals Highway
Crownsville, MD
Frederick County-Great Frederick Fair September 16-24
797 E. Patrick St.
Frederick, MD
50+ Expo
October 31
Wilde Lake High School
5460 Trumpeter Road
Columbia, MD
Senior Expo/Baby Boomer Expo
October 26-27
Maryland State Fairgrounds
2200 York Road Timonium, MD
To find out if you might have some unclaimed property, you can go on line to www.marylandtaxes.com.