LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)--The state of Louisiana owes one in six Louisianans money.

The state has $8.7 million dollars from last year's taxes to return to 30,000 taxpayers.

State Treasurer John Flemming said you can claim anywhere from $30 to $30,000.

"This is the most recent tax year where refunds went out, and they bounced back" Flemming said. "They didn't make it to the destination, or they didn't get cashed. We don't know what happened, so the money is sitting there. We're asking people to go look, because you may be owed money."

The state collects millions each year in unclaimed tax returns.

"We have about $100 million cash sitting in our account ready to be claimed," Flemming said. "The other causes of this are utility deposits that people forgot about when they moved out of their apartment or home. It could be someone passed away, and it's in a bank account someplace. It could be that you forgot about a bank account that you had."

Flemming said every spring they attempt to send checks for unclaimed cash.

"If you haven't come and claimed your refund, we'll actually do a data match against the Department of Revenue, and we'll just mail you a check anyway," Flemming said.

However, if they can't find your address, the money will sit in the state's account until you file a claim.

"That money will be in that account forever," Flemming said. "It is firewalled against the Governor and the Legislature. They cannot touch the money. That sits there ready for you. If you don't claim it, then your kids will claim it one day. And if they don't claim it, their kids will claim it."

There is no deadline to file a claim.

To find out if the state owes you money, visit LAcashclaim.org.

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