State treasurer's office outlines unclaimed-property push, Vermont Saves rollout and local investment program

Ashlyn Dorian, director of policy for the State Treasurer’s Office, told the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee on Feb. 4 that the office is seeking two budgeted positions for its unclaimed property program, is monitoring a new public retirement plan called Vermont Saves, and continues work on local investment loans and several other programs.

Dorian said the treasury handles traditional central banking functions, state debt management and retirement programs, and that the Unclaimed Property Division has stepped up outreach and returns. “In FY24 we paid back a record number of claims — over 19,000 claims totaling almost $6 million,” she said. She added that in the first half of FY25 the office processed more than 17,000 claims and that total unclaimed-property holdings are now “over $130 million.”

The nut graf: the treasurer’s presentation emphasized programs that affect households and local projects — unclaimed property reuniting Vermonters with small and large accounts, Vermont Saves as a new default workplace retirement option for employees without a plan, and a local investment program that lends state cash…