After nine years of trying, a North Texas woman finally received her unclaimed money from the state Thursday.
Kelly McCutcheon Canon received a check after NBC DFW contacted the Texas Comptroller’s Office earlier this month on her behalf.
"I think it's great that it's St. Patrick's Day, and I'm finally getting my pot of gold," she said.
Canon first discovered that $3,700 listed in her maiden name was on the comptroller's unclaimed property list in 2002 and filed a claim.
A bank had evidently sent the money to her old address in 1987.
But the state refused to give her the money because Canon could not verify the original payment because the bank no longer existed in 2002.
After NBC DFW reached the comptroller's spokesman, officials permitted her to file a $100 bond as protection in the event someone else comes forward later filing a claim to the same money.
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"On a one-on-one case, we can work with people in terms of getting the needed documentation," comptroller spokesman R.J. DeSilva said.
"It was a long journey, but I finally convinced them I was the only Kelly McCutcheon on record at the time, so I’m very glad to finally get this resolved," Canon said.
But she was surprised to see the check was for $3,644.50 instead of the listed $3,700.
Small print on the comptroller’s website says a 1.5 percent service fee is added to payments of more than $100. DeSilva said money from the fees is invested back in the program for costs such as computer programming and outreach events.
Figures from the Texas Comptroller’s Office show a 40 percent increase in the number of claims paid over the past two years but also an increase in the percentage denied.
Unclaimed Money - Texas Comptroller
| Fiscal Year | 2010 |
| $220,876 | Total |
| 81% | Paid |
| 19% | Denied |
| Fiscal Year | 2009 |
| $155,829 | Total |
| 82% | Paid |
| 18% | Denied |
| Fiscal Year | 2008 |
| $120,444 | Total |
| 88% | Paid |
| 12% | Denied |
"With the fact that more files have been claimed, certainly the number of denials would increase as well. But generally over the last few years, between 80 and 90 percent of the claims have been paid out," DeSilva said.
Canon has not decided how to use the money she waited so long to receive.
"I'm thinking about a cruise, but, for now, it’s just going to draw interest," she said.
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