Search on for owners of lost $3m

Almost $3m to be claimed from revenue office

A AW WINDFALL of almost $3 m million of Geelong residents’ resi money is sitting in government gov coffers, waiting to be b claimed.

State S Revenue Office data dat shows $2.74 million of waiting to be collected, including $36,567 owed to a Belmont man. Another Geelong resident is owed $20,000, while an East Geelong woman is entitled to $16,000.

Geelong has 25,137 individual entitlements registered, including unclaimed funds owed to residents at Highton ($177,444), Corio ($122,212), Bacchus Marsh ($81,504) and Grovedale ($116,312).

The unclaimed money is made up of share dividends, salaries and wages, rents and bonds, debentures and interest, and proceeds from sales. “Geelong has the most unclaimed money of any regional centre — the odds are in your favour,” Geelong MP Christine Couzens said.

A WINDFALL of nearly $3 million of Geelong residents’ money is sitting in government coffers waiting to be claimed.

New State Revenue Office data shows $2.74 million of Geelong residents’ money is waiting to be collected, including $36,567 owed to a Belmont man.

Another Geelong resident is owed $20,000, while an East Geelong woman is entitled to $16,000.

Another local has 39 separate entitlements in their name, for a total of about $1420.

Geelong currently has 25,137 individual entitlements registered, including unclaimed funds owed to residents at Highton ($177,444), Corio ($122,212), Bacchus Marsh ($81,504) and Grovedale ($116,312).

The unclaimed money is made up of share dividends, salaries and wages, rents and bonds, debentures and interest, and proceeds from sales.

After 12 months, the money is held by the SRO.

The office has more than a million unclaimed entitlements across Victoria ranging from as little as $20 all the way up to $994,994.

Last financial year, the SRO reunited $16.6 million with its rightful owners through more than 18,000 entitlements and processed 50 claims a day.

Of all regional cities, Geelong has the most unclaimed money, followed by Ballarat with $1.28 million to be claimed (11,296 entitlements) and Bendigo with $1.1 million (11,069 entitlements).

Treasurer Tim Pallas urged Geelong residents to check if they were owed money.

“We encourage all Victorians, businesses and community groups to do a search for any unclaimed money today,” he said.

Member for Geelong Christine Couzens said there was no time limit to claiming held money.

“Geelong has the most unclaimed money of any regional centre — the odds are in your favour,” Ms Couzens said.

To check if you are entitled to unclaimed money, visit sro.vic.gov.au/unclaimedmoney.