Funds may have been transferred to a successor institution, or you may be entitled to claim deposit insurance. In most cases life insurance isn't legally abandoned until the insured's 115th birthday. Virtually no effort is made to find a lost beneficiary. Do not assume unlisted stock is worthless. Stockholders in companies that merged or were acquired often are eligible to receive distributions from the restructuring, even if years ago.
Trustees are often unable to locate creditors living in other states.
Virtually every American has given or received US Savings Bonds bonds at birthdays, graduations and other special events. Because Office of Personnel Management records are not computerized, virtually no effort is made to locate those owed unclaimed benefits. The whereabouts of at least 47,000 who are owed funds is unknown. This figure doesn't include tax refund checks that were delivered but went uncashed. The Railroad Retirement Act replaces Social Security for railroad employees, providing for the payment of retirement, disability and survivor benefits.