State officials representing the Unclaimed Property Program will assist individuals pursuing claims at an outreach event set for Saturday at "Rediscover Makiki Sunset in the Park" at Makiki District Park,1527 Ke'eaumoku St. from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

More than $142 million in unclaimed property is being held by the state. And about $6 million was returned in the fiscal year ending June 20.

The program receives and holds abandoned or unclaimed property, such as dormant savings and checking accounts, unclaimed inheritances, shares of stock, uncashed personal checks and payroll checks, uncashed dividend checks, deposits held by utilities, insurance and medical refunds and safe deposit box contents.

A record $5,937,936 in previously unclaimed property was returned to their rightful owners in fiscal year 2008, according to the state Department of Budget and Finance.

Between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008, the state paid 9,748 claims to individuals and businesses, the highest number of claims in one year, thanks to an increased outreach effort to reunite the funds with their owners or heirs. Over the past six fiscal years, the state returned $24,690,614 in previously unclaimed property to 35,393 claimants.

The department attributes the record amount of returned property to increased public outreach efforts as well as the use of an advanced database search service that allows staff to assist claimants in verifying information to prove that they are the correct owners of the property. Using the database, the staff can input a claimant's Social Security number to verify past addresses going back 15 years. Previously, if the claimant could not provide documentation for an old address, the state could not pay the claim.

For additional information, visit www.unclaimedproperty.hawaii.gov or call the Unclaimed Property Program, 586-1589.

From the Neighbor Islands, the toll-free voice access numbers for each island for those with touch-tone phones are as follows: