Victorians unknowingly sitting on $200m in unclaimed cash
From forgotten lotto winnings to hundreds of thousands in lost wages and dividends, millions in unclaimed entitlements are sitting in government hands.
Thousands of lucky Victorians are unknowingly sitting on a goldmine of more than $200 million waiting to be collected.
More than one million entitlements are waiting to be claimed from the state’s tax office, with
with some set to bank unexpected windfalls of more than $800,000.
The Allan government is urging Victorians to head online to potentially uncover a surprise jackpot-sized haul ready to be claimed.
One lucky Victorian is also in store for a separate tattslotto win worth $2,136,327 from 2016 which is yet to be collected.
Among those entitled to a share in the $200 million funding pool is a Box Hill man with a whopping $882,697 waiting to be claimed, a Plenty woman with a $869,129 fortune and a Nunawading woman owed $677,001.
A Sorrento man is also sitting on a $283,850 haul, while an Ardeer woman could claim $259,828 and a Melbourne woman $238,669.
The mega funding pool, recorded by the State Revenue Office (SRO), includes share dividends, salaries and wages, rents and bonds, debentures and interest and proceeds from sales that have been unclaimed for more than 12 months.
Many of the entitlements have been stored for less than a decade
The City of Melbourne is home to the largest pool of unclaimed cash, with 55,878 entitlements worth a staggering $18,304,653.
Boroondara came in second at $12,786,177, followed by Stonnington at $10,089,418 and Port Phillip, $9,148,961.
In regional Victoria, Greater Geelong had the greatest pool of unclaimed funds, with $6,490,246, followed by Mornington Peninsula, $5,482,981, Yarra Ranges, $3,954,525, and Ballarat, $3,225,197.
Finance Minister Danny Pearson said there were Victorians who could have their “lives changed forever” simply by logging onto a website.
“Searching for unclaimed money through the State Revenue Office online register is simple – all you need is a few personal details and you could be in for an unexpected windfall,” he said.
In 2024, a Canterbury resident cashed in the largest entitlement, worth $382,264, followed by a Wallan local with $158,355.00
In addition to the $200 million treasure trove, the SRO also holds Tattersalls, Intralot and Tabcorp prizes, as well as TAB winnings.
Those wanting to check whether they have a surprise in store will need their name or
company name and the address for the unclaimed money lodging organisation.
To claim, people will also need various supporting documents as well as proof-of-identity.
To search for unclaimed money, visit sro.vic.gov.au/unclaimedmoney.
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Originally published as Victorians unknowingly sitting on $200m in unclaimed cash
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