Boone County Unclaimed Money

Boone County holds the 7th highest unclaimed money total in all of Missouri, with over $26.6 million waiting to be claimed. The state has 324,262 unclaimed properties tied to Boone County addresses. Columbia is the county seat and the largest city, home to the University of Missouri. That large student and transient population means a lot of unclaimed money builds up from people who move on and forget about old accounts. Searching is free, and Boone County is one of the few Missouri counties that has its own local unclaimed property search in addition to the state database.

Search Boone County Unclaimed Money

Start with ShowMeMoney.com, the state's official search. The Missouri Treasurer runs this database and it has every unclaimed property from Boone County that has been reported to the state. Type your name and see results in seconds. Free to search. Free to claim.

The Boone County website at showmeboone.com is a well-organized resource for county services and department contacts. It is one of the best county government sites in Missouri.

Also check MissingMoney.com for a national search. Columbia draws people from all over. Students, faculty, and professionals come and go. If you have lived in other states, this tool checks everywhere at once.

Boone County Local Unclaimed Money Search

Boone County stands out from most Missouri counties because it has its own local unclaimed property database. In 2011, Boone County became the first county in Missouri to offer an online search for locally-held unclaimed money. The county won a County Excellence Award in 2012 for this program. You can search at the Boone County unclaimed property portal.

Here is why this matters. Boone County holds unclaimed money locally for three years before sending it to the state. If your property became unclaimed recently, it might show up in the county database but not yet in the state database. Checking both gives you the best shot at finding everything that belongs to you. The county search covers tax refunds, overpayments, and other locally-held funds that are still within that three-year window.

Boone County Treasurer and Unclaimed Funds

The Boone County Treasurer is Jenna Redel. The office is at 801 E. Walnut, Room 205, Columbia, MO 65201. Call (573) 886-4365 or email treasurer@boonemo.gov. The Boone County Treasurer's page has office hours and service details. The Treasurer manages county funds, oversees the local unclaimed property program, and coordinates with the state when it is time to transfer older accounts.

The Boone County Collector is Brian McCollum, at Room 118 of the same building. Phone is (573) 886-4285. The Collector's page has details on tax collection and related services. Tax sale overages, overpayments, and refund checks that go uncollected can all end up as unclaimed money.

Under Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 447, holders must report unclaimed property after the dormancy period. Boone County's local three-year hold period gives owners extra time to claim before the funds go to Jefferson City. After that, the state Treasurer takes over and holds the money indefinitely.

Claim Boone County Unclaimed Money

When you find a match on either the state or county search, follow the instructions to file a claim. The state tool at ShowMeMoney.com walks you through it. You need a photo ID for basic verification. Larger claims may require proof that you lived at the Boone County address on file. A Columbia utility bill, a university housing statement, or a bank document from that period all work.

File online or by mail at Missouri State Treasurer, PO Box 1004, Jefferson City, MO 65102. Call (573) 751-0123 for help. Email ucp@treasurer.mo.gov with questions. Everything is free. Missouri does not charge a fee to return your unclaimed money. The state also pays interest on certain property types for up to seven years after receiving them. With Boone County's $26.6 million total, there are claims of all sizes waiting to be picked up.

Why Boone County Has So Much Unclaimed Money

The $26.6 million total makes Boone County one of the top counties in Missouri for unclaimed money. Several things drive this number. Columbia is a college town with tens of thousands of students cycling through every few years. The University of Missouri alone brings in more than 30,000 students. Many of them open bank accounts, set up utility services, and take out insurance during their time in Boone County. When they graduate and move away, some of those accounts get left behind.

Beyond students, Columbia is a growing city with a mobile population. People come for jobs at the university, the hospitals, and local companies. Some move on after a few years. Forgotten deposits, uncashed refund checks, and dormant accounts pile up. The county statistics page shows 324,262 individual properties, which is a very high number. Each one represents money that someone forgot about or never knew they had.

If you have ever spent time in Boone County, even just a few semesters at Mizzou, it is absolutely worth running a search. The average claim in Missouri is about $300. But with this volume of unclaimed money, some Boone County claims are worth much more.

Cities in Boone County

Columbia is the main city in Boone County and the only one with its own page on this site. Most unclaimed money from Boone County is tied to Columbia addresses.

Other communities in Boone County include Ashland, Centralia, Hallsville, and Harrisburg. Unclaimed money from these areas is searchable through the same state and county databases.

Nearby Counties

Boone County is in central Missouri. Check these bordering counties if you have lived anywhere in the area.