Show me the money

Get online to see if your cash is sitting around somewhere, writes John Rolfe

WHAT do Scott Morrison and Karl Stefanovic have in common? Unclaimed money, and you could too.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission is holding about $1.1 billion in lost shares, bank accounts and life insurance. State governments hold hundreds of millions of dollars of unclaimed money as well. ASIC has shares, bank accounts and life insurance. States hold funds from deceased estates, dividends, bonds, refunds and overpayments. Search the ASIC database and state registers on the Federal Government’s Money Smart site.

In writing this, I discovered I had unclaimed money. It wasn’t much, but it wasn’t hard to get back either. Searching my father’s name revealed he was owed five amounts. Celebrities are also missing cash. The former model now fashion designer Jodhi Tsindos, aka Jodhi Meares, is owed more than $2000 in two amounts, according to the NSW Government state register. Her former father in law, the late Kerry Packer, forgot about $15,000, according to the ASIC database.

Former NSW Blues captain Paul Gallen has $437 to claim. It is from his former energy provider — yes, you guessed it, Origin. Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison appears to have allowed $610 slip through his fingers, from a St George account. It was declared lost in 2002.

Rugby league “immortal” Andrew Johns, AFL stars Lance “Buddy” Franklin and Scott Pendlebury, Test cricket legend Matthew Hayden and even Karl Stefanovic are other famous faces with misplaced moulah.

Here’s a tip: if you’ve lived in different states try searching using the Victorian Government service, because it lets you search every jurisdiction at once. You can reach it by typing www.tinyurl.com/ allstatesearch into a web page. You will still need to do a separate search on the ASIC database.

Happy hunting.