Moved a ton over the years or forgot about that old bank account or safe deposit box you never closed out?

While it’s smart to be on high alert for scams these days, it’s no hoax that legitimate, cold hard cash may be yours, just waiting to be claimed — you just have to know where to look.

Unclaimed cash or assets just waiting for their rightful owners total about $6.3 billion in the Garden State, according to the latest figures from the New Jersey Unclaimed Property Administration (NJUPA). Last year, residents put back in their pockets a record of nearly $203 million, a result of 73,686 claims filed.

Monies owed to or owned by somebody in New Jersey that never make it into the hands of its true owner are held by the NJUPA indefinitely or until a valid claim is processed.

So what is considered an unclaimed asset, and how do you know if you are owed any? The process is simple through the state’s user-friendly online tool at unclaimedfunds.nj.gov, so give it a look. You never know, you could hit the jackpot.

What are unclaimed assets?

The NJUPA, which falls under the umbrella of the New Jersey Treasury Department, refers to unclaimed property as tangible and intangible, such as:

• Uncashed checks
• Stocks and bonds
• Safe deposit box contents
• Abandoned bank accounts
• Unclaimed wages or commissions
• Unpaid life insurance benefits
• Utility deposits
• Unused rebate cards
• Trust distributions
• Securities and trust holdings
• Customer overpayments
• Traveler’s checks

How do I check for unclaimed assets?

New Jersey residents can search for unclaimed assets through the NJUPA website and then use the free search tool — https://www.nj.gov/treasury/unclaimed-property — to input your name. Individuals are encouraged to also search using a maiden name and a city, ZIP code, and if available, a property ID. You can also search the name of a business or nonprofit, and it might be worth checking alternate spelling of your name

Did you have a relative who died? There may be some unclaimed assets out there, too.

Have you ever resided or worked/owned a business out of state ? The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, which says that one in seven people in the nation has unclaimed property, operates a free nationwide search database to check for missing funds in all 50 states.

Claiming your funds

Filing a claim through the NJUPA is the fastest way to get your claim processed. After a claim is submitted, the UPA will provide you details of the properly you are claiming. To help support your claim, make sure you prepare necessary documentation, such as proof of identity and ownership, which will need to be uploaded online to show ownership.

The NJUPA will process and verify all information, and if you are advised nothing further is needed, it’ll just be a waiting game. You can check the status of your claim as you await your reunion with your missing money.

And as a reminder, searching for and claiming assets owed to you is completely free. So consider it a red flag when a company solicits offers to do the legwork for you, and avoid texts or other messages asking you to click a link to claim monies you are allegedly owed. These could all lead to scammers looking to steal your personal information.

Have more questions or comments? The NJUPA website has answers to a lot of frequently asked questions and the agency is hosting several outreach events through the end of the year.

Happy treasure hunting!

Email: lcomstock@njherald.com; Twitter: @LoriComstockNJH or on Facebook.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Leaders in New Jersey are in talks with the 76ers, hoping to convince them to move across the Delaware River to the Garden State.

It comes amid stalled plans for the proposed Sixers arena in Center City Philadelphia.

A spokesperson for the Sixers told Action News they want their own arena, and now it’s just a matter of where.

Philadelphia 76ers owner, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, has been working for years on proposals to build a new arena in Center City.

But with negotiations still up in the air, New Jersey is once again drawing up a game plan.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy says he’s approaching these conversations with conviction.

“We’re blessed with a good relationship with these guys, both the owners and the professionals who run the Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, and they own the Devils and the Sixers among other assets,” said Murphy.

The Sixers already moved their practice facility and corporate headquarters to Camden in 2016.

“We’ve been observing the lack of progress in Philadelphia and we said, ‘You know what, we’re going to raise this with them.’ And we’re serious about it and they seem to be serious about it,” said Murphy.

Another serious conversation has been putting the arena on the East Market Street Corridor, which would stand on the edge of Chinatown.

It continues to remain a concern among those who oppose it.

“There’s a lot of harm that could come from this. There’s a lot of ways that Chinatown could be wiped out a lot of folks could lose their homes and businesses,” said Vivian Chang, the executive director of Asian Americans United.

In a statement sent to Action News, a 76ers spokesperson said:

“We remain focused on bringing a state-of-the-art arena to Philadelphia as we have been for the last four years. We are hopeful to reach an agreement with the city this summer to ensure legislation is introduced in early September, which will allow the 76ers to open our new home in time for the 2031-32 NBA season.”

Fans we spoke with say they want the team to stay in Philadelphia.

“I love the Sixers, I don’t love the prospect of them leaving Philadelphia and moving to New Jersey,” said Sean Dalton from Manayunk.

“I’m not going to Jersey and neither should they,” said Tim Levy from Erdenheim.

The team’s spokesperson says their goal is to stay in the city, they just have to strike the right deal, and time is ticking.

2-minute read

President Joe Biden’s decision to not seek reelection should not impact New Jersey’s November ballot, say state election officials.

New Jersey’s deadline to prepare the official general election ballot for printing is Sept. 2 — 11 days after the Democratic National Convention ends.

The DNC is scheduled for Aug. 19 to Aug. 22, where the Democratic party will nominate its presidential candidate to face former President Donald Trump in November’s general election.

Vice President Kamala Harris appears to be the leading candidate to replace Biden as the Democratic Party’s nominee. Harris on Sunday said she will seek the 2024 Democratic nomination after Biden stepped aside and endorsed her candidacy.

Story continues below photo gallery.

Biden’s withdrawal from the race won’t affect NJ ballot deadline

The state deadlines are based on the national conventions, Bergen County Clerk John Hogan said. “We expect a nominee will be picked out of those three days,” Hogan said. “It’s more than enough time and won’t affect the deadlines.”

The deadline for publication of notice of mail-in ballot availability by the state’s county clerks is Sept. 10, which is 55 days before Election Day. Mail-in ballots will begin to be mailed beginning on Sept. 21.

Hogan said special elections in past years caused by vacancies due to death have created tight deadlines, but Bergen County and other clerks were able to deliver.

“We will deliver on the election, but right now everything is still on schedule,” he said. “I don’t see any upset to this at all, when we get the name, we’ll print the ballots with the guidelines.”

More: Kamala Harris’ VP: Possible running mates

Biden announced on social media on Sunday that he would not be running for re-election following a poor presidential debate performance and weeks of mounting pressure from Democrats urging him to withdraw from the election.

More details are expected this week when Biden said he will speak to the country about his decision. After the announcement, he quickly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the presidential nominee.

Each state has delegates that represent the interests of the voters at the national party conventions. It is up to those individuals to formally cast the support of the state for each candidate. New Jersey has 146 delegates.

If no candidate wins the majority of the roughly 4,000 delegates, then the party’s more than 700 superdelegates, or automatic delegates, will be able to vote at the convention.