Mississippi Treasurer David McRae hosts Unclaimed Money Road Show in Hernando
Photo: Director of Unclaimed Money Lee Youngblood (right) helps a resident see if they have unclaimed funds available during the stop in Hernando on Wednesday. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
HERNANDO, Miss. — Mississippi State Treasurer David McRae brought his statewide “Unclaimed Money Road Show” to the Baker’s Corner in Hernando this week, continuing a five-year initiative that has returned more than $150 million to residents across the state. The event is part of a broader effort to reconnect Mississippians with lost funds from sources such as utility deposits, insurance payouts, and even forgotten stock holdings.
“We’ve been to Starkville, Oxford, and now Hernando,” McRae said. “Next week we’ll be in Madison County, and then we’re heading to the Coast. Especially with the holidays approaching, it’s a great time to help people find money they didn’t know they had.”
The Treasurer’s Office has uncovered unclaimed amounts ranging from $10 to $1.5 million. One notable case involved a Starkville resident who recovered $180,000 in lost stocks. Another story McRae shared involved an Army veteran whose $1.5 million estate was reunited with his family years after his passing. The funds not only reconnected the family but also allowed them to move the veteran’s remains from a pauper’s grave in Raymond to a veterans cemetery in Louisiana.
McRae emphasized that the initiative is more than just financial—it’s about public service and trust. “People are hesitant to answer calls about money. But when we show up in person, they bring documents and questions that would be hard to handle over the phone,” he said.
The Treasurer’s Office has streamlined the claims process, allowing residents to search for unclaimed funds online at treasury.ms.gov. Claims can be filed electronically without a notary, requiring only a few questions and a photo ID.
“There’s still about $400 million in unclaimed money out there,” McRae said. “When I took office, I made this a priority. Since 1982, $300 million has been returned statewide—and I’ve overseen half of that in just five years.”
In addition to the road show, McRae highlighted the state’s 529 college savings programs, including the prepaid tuition plan and the flexible Max plan. The Max plan now accepts payments via cryptocurrency, Venmo, and PayPal, making Mississippi one of the first states to offer such options.
“These plans help families avoid student debt, which averages $35,000 per graduate,” McRae said. “Our goal is to help students graduate with little to no debt so they can stay in Mississippi and build their futures here.”
Both savings plans are fully funded, with the Horizon plan currently at 140 percent and the legacy plan at 101 percent, up from 70 percent when McRae took office.
