More than $6.8 million worth of unclaimed property was returned to businesses, Wyomingites and former residents during the fiscal year that ended June 30.

Wyoming State Treasurer Curt Meier noted that “one of our jobs in the Treasurer’s Office is to reunite citizens with their lost money.”

Workers in the office’s Unclaimed Property Division focus on that mission year-round. The continued growth in the amount of money paid out is a result of their hard work, Meier said.

“We still have more than $85 million in unclaimed property waiting for the rightful owner to step forward and make a claim,” he said. The treasurer encourages residents to visit www.mycash.wyo.gov and see if they’re entitled to any of the funds.

Property is turned over to the state when a business, agency or governmental entity owes someone property — typically money or stocks — but for whatever reason cannot locate the owner for a specified time period.

To make a valid claim, owners need to provide documentation, depending on the type of property turned over to the state and the level of information provided about the owner.

Wyoming law requires the state to hold unclaimed property in perpetuity until the rightful owner is able to claim it.

The state received a little more than $8 million in unclaimed property during the past year. Thanks to some software upgrades and procedures implemented during the past administration, the state has been able to return approximately 85 percent of the money reported to unclaimed property over the past three years.