1. Forgotten Funds and Unclaimed Tax Refunds

Who wouldn’t enjoy a tax refund? Most of us, probably. However, according to the IRS, it seems that many people are rather interested in getting their free money since more than $1 billion in tax refunds go unclaimed each year.

Americans have three years to file their tax returns and claim their refunds. If they don’t, that money is sent back into the tax agency’s coffers. There is no penalty for failing to file a tax return if you qualify for a refund, but it’s worthwhile to file each year in case the government does owe you something. Good tax software platforms will ease the whole process by tracking down all the deductions that apply to you.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrations reports that over $40 billion is waiting out there in forgotten bank accounts, utility deposits, life insurance policies, and other sources. You can see if you’ve got any unclaimed money by checking Unclaimed.org.