[Shimmer1]

It’s been turned over to the state, they’re going to keep it.

[driftdiver]

If the bank shut down then the remaining funds may be held by the state.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Contact the Secretary of State or the banking regulator in your state.
If the bank went out of business, the accounts were likely transferred to a nearby bank.

[LibWhacker]

http://www.nctreasurer.com/Claim-Your-Cash/Claim-Your-NC_Cash/Pages/Search.aspx

[headstamp 2]

I think there is a number you can call with the state that has unclaimed funds that they hold for a certain period of time.

Call your state Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Consumer Affairs for a place to start looking.

[Rightwingacademic]

Each state has an unclaimed property department, where you can make this type of claim. You’ll need proper documentation, but it shouldn’t be too difficult. Good luck!

[mass55th]

Found this link:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5523399_old-bank-accounts.html

[Obadiah]

Contact your state treasurer’s office or your state’s secrtary and ask for the unclaimed property division. Then inquire about any of her unclaimed accounts or assets that the state may have taken custody of by default.

[bgill]

http://www.unclaimed-property-finder.com/?lt=money

Try the unclaimed money site at the US Treasury site above.

Is there a bank still located at the address on the last statement? If so, that's probably the bank which bought out the old one. Do a search online for the HQ of the old bank or find articles that will have info on the new owners.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Most states passed laws that money in inactive accounts goes to the state, but can be recovered by an account holder if they make an inquiry to the state about it. It doesn’t matter if the bank still exists or not.

I have done this myself, to an old account I abandoned in Texas with perhaps $50 in it. Texas has a website to recover such money, and promptly returned it.

[cotton1706]

Here in MA, anything like that is tranferred to what’s called Abandoned Property and stays there until somebody claims it. I can go to a website and file a claim. Your state may have something similar.

[lafroste]

Wow, in five minutes I have excellent starting points. You guys are great!

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

In most states, unclaimed money becomes state property if there has been no activity in an account (deposits or withdrawals) after a certain number of years. Usually the state “advertises” the unclaimed property in a newspaper (nowadays probably on a website) then transfers the money to the general fund. With 15 years gone by, the odds of you recovering the money are zero.

[Vigilanteman]

Big questions to ask yourself:

1. Is 1998 the last statement you have? Or the last transaction?
   
2. In what state was the bank account located? Most have a ten year time clock from the date of the last transaction before the state can escheat (legally steal) it. In some states (mostly of the greedy libtard variety), that period can be as little as three years.
   
3. Even if the funds have been escheated, some states allow you to claim them back from the general fund if you can prove ownership. A 1998 bank statement is a good place to start. I'd call the treasury department in the state where the account was located.
   
4. If the bank no longer exists, find out who acquired it. Sometimes, they leave the location in place (same state), sometimes they close it and move the accounts to a new state. The escheat laws of the new state will apply in this case.

[Albion Wilde]

The Department of the Treasury in the state where the bank account was held will have a Lost Property or Unclaimed Property Division, usually online. You can even apply online.

You will need your mother's SSN and address at the time, and any other addresses you can remember. Typically, they will ask for 2 proofs of death (death cert and obituary), the names of any executors and any estate tax ID number, driver's licence of the applicant and/or executor, and a list of all heirs, so that one sibling can't just help him- or herself if there were five siblings or designated charities in a will.

[a fool in paradise]

If you are in Nigeria, I can help.

[NEMDF]

Look for a link for “abandoned property” in the state in which the account was established. The state government should have a clearinghouse for abandoned property, and you should be able to find info about how to retrieve the property.

[Rockingham]

Check your state’s office of abandoned property. They should have a record of the account and a claims procedure. Many states now put the information online.