The Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) estimates over 3 million stockholders are entitled to unclaimed stock worth in excess of $10 billion. Additionally, $millions in lost stock dividends go uncashed each year. A wave of corporate mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, share spin-offs and name changes in the past decade has significantly increased the amount of lost stock and unclaimed dividends.
If you or a family member was a stockholder in a company that went thru a merger or was bought out, you may likely be entitled to recover spin-off shares, cash or dividends from the restructuring. There is basically no time limit to recover your unclaimed stock or cash dividends. However, a custodian for the goernment trust can liquidate stock shares and any future appreciation and dividends could be lost

As referred to in the life insurance unclaimed section, the largest single source of unclaimed stock has resulted from the recent demutualizations of major life insurance companies, such as Metropolitan Life, John Hancock Co. and MONY Group (see others listed below). Demutualization is the process of converting a mutual life insurance company that is owned by its policyholders, into a publicly traded stock company owned by shareholders. Demutualization does not nullify the contract rights (both the coverage and benefits) of the individual policies that existed prior to this reorganization

Literally millions of policyholders and heirs aren't aware they are entitled to claim billions in demutualization compensation. This compensation will likely consist of both stock shares, dividends and the actual policy itself. The major life insurance companies that went thru demutualization just did not have the current address of millions of policyholders. John Hancock alone has over 40 million shares of stock worth in excess of $2.5 billion - that have gone unclaimed.

Did your deceased parent invest in stocks or bonds market? And as many in their era, hold the certificates at home? Even if the heirs cannot locate the certificates but recall the issuer, the unclaimed security can be recovered.

To search for unclaimed stock - unclaimed shares, missing distributions and uncashed dividends after a merger, acquisition, demutualization, restructuring or other reorganization order our Search and Report. (There is a $25 fee for this Service.)