FINDING FORGOTTEN FUNDS

See if you have money waiting to be claimed

THERE is an eye-popping $15 billion in unclaimed funds in New York right now. Any of it yours? New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli is urging New Yorkers to see if any of it belongs to them. His office is all about getting the money back to its rightful owners. “We hand back more than $1.5 million a day to New Yorkers,” he says. “Last year we returned a record $460 million, but we want to do more. I encourage everyone to go to my Web site or call us and search for money that may be waiting for you. It’s your money, we want to give it back.” His office is on track to beat last year’s total: So far in 2019, the state has handed back $121,046,825. There are currently more than 37 million unclaimed funds accounts, some dating back to the 1940s. Most claims (52 percent) are under $100, but sometimes there are bigger chunks of change sitting around. It is free to claim such money, so beware of private companies trying to claim for you for a fee of up to 15 percent. You can search for your name in the state database to see if you have money owed to you. If you come up blank, you can also search your family and friends’ names. And when that’s done, try celebrities’ names. They’re just like us! They switch cellphone carriers

without a thought, fail to pick up paychecks from their agents and generally lose money down the back of the digital couch.

Remember, though, the only way to make an official claim is to enter your social security number. You will also need to provide your taxpayer identification number and other personal information, and gains will be reported to the IRS and other taxing authorities.

It’s been eight years since accountants reported that NBC Universal has some unclaimed wages waiting for Paul Hewson and it’s been nine years since the state of Oregon, of all places, said that Paul Hewson of 110 W. 57th St. had a credit balance with “trusts, brokers, investment firms.” Could that be our BFF Bono? Now that the U2 singer is done with the Experience + Innocence tour, he might want to stop by Albany and visit the offices of the Comptroller. Third District of New York congressman Thomas

Richard Suozzi may well be the Thomas R. Suozzi formerly of the Theodore Roosevelt executive legislative building in Mineola, LI. In any case, the New York Life Insurance company has some amounts due for “undelivered goods/services” in that name, and they’ve been with the state since 2016. We’re pretty sure there’s only one Latrell

Sprewell. The former Knick, late of Purchase NY, has some money which CSC Holdings Inc & Subs has been trying to get to him since 2008.

And finally, Ernest Maurice “Kiki” Vandeweghe III, former Nuggets, Knicks and Nets player has some money reported by the state of Colorado. It’s in the name of Ernest and Peggy (his wife) Vandeweghe, and is classed as warrants. That warrants a look, doesn’t it, Kiki?

Remember the heyday of JEREMY SHU-HOW LIN? Well, after Linsanity with the Knicks came a spell with the Nets in 2016. Someone of that name is owed some money by Chase Bank for “undelivered goods/services.” He’s now with the Raptors, making a pretty penny, but it’s always worth chasing down Chase.

RIHANNA’s real name is Robyn Fenty, and there’s a Robyn Fenty who is owed an undisclosed sum by NBC Universal. Classed as “wages/payroll/ salaries/comm/ pension pmts” it may be for her Saturday Night Live work, or it might be connected to her label Roc Nation, which is distributed by the Universal Music Group. You might run this town Rihanna, but you should still pick up your pennies.

HAKEEM JEFFRIES of 55 Hanson Place in Brooklyn (the Shirley A. Chisholm State Office Building in Fort Greene) is also owed some money for “undelivered goods/service.” The money was reported in 2013 by News Corp, which also owns The Post. You should stop by and say hello when you pick up your check, Mr. Jeffries.

FELICITY KENDALL HUFFMAN of Bedford, NY recently pled guilty to her part in a college entrance exam cheating scandal uncovered by the feds. The actress might want to contact the Comptroller’s office and see if she’s owed some cash to help with legal fees, since a Felicity K. Huffman is owed money by Bowles Fluidics, the auto hose company of Maryland.