Approximately 40,000 unclaimed relief payments are available through Maine’s Unclaimed Property program
Governor Janet Mills and Maine State Treasurer Henry Beck are encouraging Maine people to see if they are missing out on pandemic-era relief money that belongs to them.
During the pandemic and immediately following, Governor Mills and the Legislature created several relief payment programs to put money directly back into the pockets of Maine people.
Of the nearly 2.3 million payments distributed, approximately 40,000 checks (or nearly 2 percent) – totaling approximately $19 million – have never been cashed. This money has now been turned over to the Maine Unclaimed Property program and can be claimed by Maine people.
To determine if their relief payment has gone unclaimed, Maine people can visit the Maine Unclaimed Property program’s website at www.maineunclaimedproperty.gov.
“My Administration worked with the Legislature to deliver multiple relief payments to Maine people to help them through the economic hardships caused by the pandemic,” said Governor Janet Mills. “Now, like then, we want to make sure that money goes directly back into the pockets of Maine people. I urge you to check the Maine Unclaimed Property program to make sure you are not owed a relief payment or other unclaimed property held by the state.”
“Over 98 percent of the funds made it directly into the hands of Maine people to help with rising costs,” said Maine Treasurer Henry Beck. “Now we want to do everything we can to get the remaining payments to their rightful owners and will be doing that through our unclaimed property system.”
In recognition of economic hardships presented by the pandemic, the Mills Administration and the Maine Legislature authorized three direct relief payments to assist qualified Maine people:
- In 2021, 524,912 Maine people who worked during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic were issued a $285 Disaster Relief Payment;
- In 2022, 876,283 people were issued $850 checks to help Maine people deal with increased costs driven by pandemic-driven inflation;
- In 2023, 877,129 Maine taxpayers were issued $450 to help deal with record-high energy costs as part of Governor Mills' Emergency Energy Relief Plan.
Maine people can determine if an unclaimed relief payment – or other unclaimed property in their name – is held by the State of Maine by visiting www.maineunclaimedproperty.gov or by calling (207) 624-7470.