South Carolina has set a record for unclaimed property handed back to its residents, with more than $52 million returned in what State Treasurer Curtis M. Loftis Jr. calls a record-breaking year. The treasurer’s office announced the total on Aug. 27. The money went to individuals, families, businesses and others whose names sat on the state’s unclaimed property list.
Loftis did not stop at the milestone. “Breaking a record is exciting, but we’re not finished,” he said. The next step he has in mind is simple: more South Carolinians checking whether the state is holding something with their name on it.
The announcement came from the treasurer’s own newsroom under a headline that says Loftis “shatters record.” The office gave the figure as “more than $52 million” and did not break it down by claim or by claimant. It also did not name the earlier record or say which twelve months the total covers.
The question for most households is whether any of that money is theirs, or could be. The state’s release says residents can search their own name, the names of family members and the names of businesses, and that the search takes a few minutes. Loftis said he encourages “every South Carolinian” to do it.
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Fifteen years of returns under one treasurer
The record sits on top of a long run. According to the treasurer’s office, more than $470 million has been returned since 2011, when Loftis took office. That is more than 4.5 times what all of his predecessors returned combined, the office says.
Loftis also spoke about what the checks do for the people who get them. “The most exciting part is knowing what these dollars can mean for the people receiving them,” he said. For a household on a fixed income, even a small forgotten balance can cover a month’s utility bill.
Who can have property sitting on the list
Unclaimed property is money or assets that a company could not deliver to the owner and later turned over to the state. The treasurer’s unclaimed property program page says individuals, estates, businesses, churches and charities can all have property held.
That range matters for retirees. A name may be on the list because of an old account, a final paycheck, or a relative who died. A search that covers a spouse, a parent who has passed or a small business the family once ran can turn up listings that a single name search misses.
How the South Carolina search works
The program page sends visitors to the state’s property search portal, which says it only takes a minute to find out whether the state is holding money. A hit leads to a claim. The same page links to a status check for claims already filed and an upload form for supporting documents.
The page does not list the documents a claim needs or a time limit, so a person with a match should read the instructions on the claim itself. For questions, the treasurer’s office answers at 803.734.2101. The office sits in the Wade Hampton Building, 1200 Senate Street, Suite 214, in Columbia.
Looking past the name that was typed
Searches can miss money when a person has used more than one name. A maiden name, a married name, a nickname on an old account and a misspelled surname each can be the one the company reported. Trying each version is quick and costs nothing.
Anyone who has lived in another state may also have property there, since each state keeps its own list and a South Carolina search does not cover them. Movers, military families and retirees who relocated are the most likely to have money scattered across several lists.
Is the state holding money under a South Carolina name?
A search of the treasurer’s portal takes about a minute, and the list now reflects a record year of payouts.
The risk with a record payout year is the false sense that the job is done. A single search under one spelling, in one state, can miss money listed under an old name or a spouse’s, and the list changes as companies file new reports.
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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Warren Cohen is a finance writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, covering personal finance topics including credit, banking, and beginner investing. He earned his degree in business administration from Arizona State University and began his career working in consumer finance, where he gained direct experience with lending and credit systems. He now writes for personal finance websites and fintech platforms, focusing on clear, practical content that helps readers make informed financial decisions.
