Thousands of Americans could soon find surprise checks arriving in their mailboxes thanks to a new state law aimed at reuniting residents with unclaimed money – without them having to lift a finger.
Act 114 of 2025, which went into effect last week, allows the Arkansas State Auditor’s office to automatically return property valued at less than $5,000 to its rightful owner if they live in the state and the auditor ‘reasonably believes’ it belongs to them – even if they never filed a claim.
State Auditor Dennis Milligan says the change means the agency will start sending out nearly $83 million in unclaimed property to around 360,000 people in the coming months, with the average payout expected to be just over $100.
‘The next two or three months is going to be a lot of fun for Arkansans, because the checks will start going out,’ Milligan told the MH Observer.
‘This program is very, very important to me. You know, $200 might not mean anything to one person, but it may mean the difference between being able to pay a utility bill or … put[ting] some food on the table.’
One in four Arkansans has money sitting in the unclaimed property program, which the auditor’s office manages alongside its other duties.
In total, the office holds around $400 million in unclaimed assets – money that can come from abandoned checking accounts, uncashed rebate checks, insurance adjustments, and even unclaimed wages.
Milligan says he’s had his own small payday from the program: ‘I got 20 bucks here a while back off of some kind of rebate.
Arkansans could soon find surprise checks worth hundreds of dollars arriving in their mailboxes under a new state law. Pictured: a row of colorful garden homes with two stories and white pillars in suburban neighborhood of Fayetteville, Arkansas
One in four Arkansans has money sitting in the state’s unclaimed property program. Pictured: Fayetteville in Arkansas
Act 114 of 2025 allows the state to automatically return up to $5,000 without residents filing a claim
‘A former employer tried to send you your last check, and they couldn’t find you, so they forwarded it to us. It’s a multitude of different reasons why we get sent this money.’
While much of the unclaimed property is cash, some is far more unusual.
The office maintains a catalog of items from abandoned safe deposit boxes, including a World War II-era telegram referencing Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, a $10,000 bill, and signed Nolan Ryan baseball cards.
Until now, reclaiming any amount – even a few dollars – required filling out paperwork and verifying identity.
But Republican Sen. Dave Wallace of Leachville, who sponsored the bill, said Milligan approached him last year with the idea to streamline the process.
‘The state has $238 that belongs to either me, or my wife, Karen, from some event a couple years ago. I didn’t even know about it,’ Wallace told the MH Observer.
‘And there’s going to be thousands and tens of thousands of Arkansans in that same situation.’
The auditor’s office will use software to confirm identities and addresses before mailing checks, with letters going out first to alert recipients.
State Auditor Dennis Milligan says nearly $83 million will be sent to around 360,000 people in the coming months. Pictured: Little Rock, Arkansas
The average payout will be just over $100 – though some could get much more. Pictured: Hot Springs, Arkansas
The auditor’s office holds around $400 million in unclaimed assets from bank accounts, rebate checks, insurance payouts, and wages. Pictured: a drone image of Little Rock Arkansas at the state capitol
The law aims to get money back into people’s pockets faster and with less paperwork. Pictured: A historic home with tall pine trees in rural Arkansas
Officials say the average payout will be just over $100, though some will receive much more. Pictured: Town Homes in a new residential neighborhood on a sunny day in Fayetteville Arkansas
As long as the notice isn’t returned as undeliverable, the check will follow a few weeks later.
‘I mean, who can argue about Arkansans getting their money back?’ Milligan said. ‘I haven’t had anybody complain yet.’
The automatic payments only apply to amounts under $5,000. Anyone owed more than that – or with physical property or jointly held assets – will still need to file a claim through the state’s unclaimed property database.
Milligan still encourages residents to check the online database from time to time, noting that even Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has unclaimed property listed in her name.
