Moving? Prevent losing track of your money in the process

Moving to a new home can be exciting, but between packing boxes, changing your address, and getting your utilities turned on, it’s easy to forget about accounts and amounts that may be owed to you.

If you move to or from a Canadian province and it slips your mind to tell a key person or business, it could mean important statements or payments never reach you. In some cases, if an organization can no longer contact you and money remains unclaimed for a period of time, those funds may eventually be transferred to an organization responsible for holding them. This happens often with BC credit unions: if they don’t hear from you for ten years, your accounts can be considered dormant, treated as unclaimed funds, and forwarded to BC Unclaimed.

BC Unclaimed isn't the only place Canadians may have money waiting for them. Unlike in other provinces, BC does not require that all types of unclaimed funds come to one designated caretaker, making it potentially much more complicated to find your money. That said, BC Unclaimed is the designated caretaker of unclaimed funds in the province and many types of funds can be found here.

Depending on where your money was, you may also need to check with the Bank of Canada’s Unclaimed Properties Office, or Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). If you’ve ever lived or done business in New Brunswick, Alberta, or Quebec, be sure to check with those provinces’ unclaimed property programs.

And, to be safe, check MissingMoney.com. It’s a site that duplicates information from other programs.

Check with employers and former employers

Before you leave an employer, make sure you receive any outstanding pay, reimbursements, or other amounts owed to you. If you participated in a pension or benefits plan, confirm that the administrator has your current contact information.

While wages go through Employment Standards Branch, BC Unclaimed receives certain unpaid wages and benefits from ESB when the rightful owner cannot be located.

Update your insurance information

Moving is also a good time to review your insurance policies and make sure your contact information is current. This includes home, tenant, auto, life, and other insurance policies. If you've cancelled a policy, check with your provider and broker to see whether there are any refunds or other payments still owed to you.

If you drive, and have moved to or from BC recently, make sure your address and contact information are up to date with ICBC, which maintains its own unclaimed funds database. It includes certain funds that have been returned to ICBC undelivered or remained uncashed for a specified period.

Check your CRA account

The Canada Revenue Agency may also have money waiting for you. As of July 2026, the CRA reported more than 10.8 million uncashed cheques worth approximately $1.88 billion.

If you've moved and are missing a tax refund, benefit payment, or other CRA payment, sign in to your CRA account and make sure your personal information is current. You can also check whether you have an uncashed CRA cheque.

Search the Bank of Canada

Not all unclaimed bank money for BC is held in BC. The Bank of Canada’s Unclaimed Properties Office holds unclaimed balances transferred from federally regulated financial institutions when certain accounts have been inactive for ten years and the financial institution has been unable to reach the account holder.

Update your address everywhere

You can often avoid your funds becoming unclaimed if you are proactive. If you move, make sure you change your address with Canada Post, but realize that mail forwarding doesn't replace updating your information directly with the organizations you deal with. Make a list of service providers and update your address with each one, including but not limited to:

• Banks and credit unions

• Investment companies and brokerages

• Credit card companies

• Mortgage and loan providers

• Pension and benefits administrators

• Royalty administrators

• Government agencies

• Your lawyer and/or accountant

• Utilities and other service providers

Don't forget about accounts you don't use regularly. An old savings account, investment, or insurance policy can be easy to overlook and therefore likely to end up as unclaimed funds.

Already moved? It's not too late to look.

If you've moved recently, or moved several times over the years, don't assume that any funds you may have left behind are gone. Take a minute to search today. It could help reunite you with your money.