38. The unclaimed-property sweep
The job: Give Muse your name variants and states — it walks you through the free official unclaimed-property searches and helps you prepare the claim paperwork.
Find any unclaimed property in my name — forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, utility deposits, unclaimed wages. First ask me for: (1) every full name variant I've used, and (2) every US state I've lived or worked in. Then walk me through searching the free official sources: MissingMoney.com, the NAUPA-backed national search that covers most states' unclaimed-property programs, plus each of my states' official unclaimed-property sites (the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators keeps a state-by-state directory of the official offices). For every match, show me the property details exactly as listed, then help me prepare the claim — reminding me that claiming through the state is always free, and to never pay a "finder fee" service.
What Muse will do:
- Tell Muse every full name variant you've used (maiden names, middle initials, suffixes)
- List every US state you've lived or worked in
- Muse walks you through MissingMoney.com first, then each state's official site
- For each match, Muse shows the property details exactly as listed and preps the claim
Why it works: Millions of dollars in forgotten deposits and uncashed checks sit in state treasuries because the search is tedious: every state has its own database, and you have to search every name variant you've used. This prompt turns that drudgery into a guided sweep — Muse collects your name variants and states, then walks each search with you, one at a time. The load-bearing detail is the two-step intake (name variants + states): skip that and you'll miss matches filed under a maiden name or middle initial.
Common failures:
- Only search official state sites and MissingMoney.com — third-party 'finders' charge fees for what the state gives you free
- Claiming is always free; some states ask for ID or proof of address — have those ready
- Not every state is in the MissingMoney database — don't skip the individual state searches
Prompt variations:
- Run the same sweep for a deceased relative using the executor playbook
- Combine with the subscription audit to find money both coming and going
Submitted by mint
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