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News 5 Investigates: How to find out whether the State of Colorado owes you money 

Posted at 8:10 PM, Feb 14, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-15 01:40:03-05

​The Great Colorado Payback Program connects Coloradans with lost assets.

To date, the program is credited for returning more than $434 million that previously sat “unclaimed” in the State Treasurer’s Office.

Do you have money waiting for you?

There are a a few millionaires out there and all you have to do is plug in your name or business name to find out whether the State owes you money from unclaimed stock dividends, life insurance policies, forgotten bank accounts and other miscellaneous assets that may have been left behind by one of your loved ones.

Click here to be taken directly to the State’s Great Colorado Payback Program.

Once you’re on the web page, scroll down and enter your name or business name.

Click “search” when finished. If there is money associated with your name, it will populate a spread sheet similar to this one:

The State Treasurer’s Office encourages people to file their forms electronically, but you can still file paper forms if you’re more comfortable mailing in documents.

Backlog of cases:

While the State Treasurer’s Office is tasked with reuniting people with lost assets as quickly as possible, viewers have contacted News 5 Investigates to complain about major delays. Newly elected Treasurer Dave Young says his office inherited a backlog of claims which representatives are currently working to eliminate.

“About 7 or 8 months ago, we had 12,600 backlogged claims,” Young said. “With a new manager, now we’re about down to 4,300 claims as of today and of those backlogged claims, only about 175 have not yet been dealt with so I think some real progress is being made here.”

In a News 5 investigation that aired February 14, 2018 at 10:00 p.m., Chief Investigative Reporter Eric Ross sits down with Young to discuss management changes and how he plans to eliminate the backlog completely.

Frequently asked questions: 

Q: How long should it take for me to receive my money?

A: The Treasurer’s Office has set a processing goal of 90 days. However, business accounts may take longer to process.

Q: How do I check the status of an existing claim?

A: We’ve made it easy for you! Simply click here.

Q: If I’m having trouble filing a claim online, is there a telephone number I can call?

A: Yes. That number is 303-866-6070

Q: About a year ago, you interviewed a man who had struggled for nearly a year to get $2,000 back from the Treasurer’s Office. You also mentioned that another individual has been waiting more than a year for his $8,000 refund. What happened to those cases?

A: In both cases, we were able to get Mr. Phillips and Mr. Williams their money back after making a phone call and sending an email addressing the matter directly with the public affairs office.

Q: What should I do if I’ve been waiting more than 6 months for my refund?

A: You should first contact the Great Colorado Payback Program and inquire about the delay. If there is additional documentation needed, a representative should be able to disclose what information you must submit in order for your claim to be processed accordingly. If you are still encountering issues, please don’t hesitate to reach out to News 5 Investigates for help.

Previous coverage: 

2018: Nearly $1 billion in assets waiting to be collected in Colorado

2018: Inside the State’s unclaimed property division