Treasurer reminds Maine Veterans of resources, unclaimed property

Change to 'ABLE Age Adjustment Act' expected to include approximately one million disabled veterans

Tue, 11/11/2025 - 8:59am

Laura J. Hudson, director of Internal Operations, Maine Office of the State Treasurer

According to the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services (MBVS), Maine has a long-standing history of military service and despite it being a very rural state, it is home to over 106,000 veterans, roughly 10% of the state’s overall population. In honor of Veterans’ Day, the Maine Office of the State Treasurer (OST) is reminding Maine veterans about available resources, and sharing information about recent veteran-related activity in unclaimed property.

OST runs the state’s unclaimed property program, which currently holds over $364 million in 6 million accounts of unclaimed property that belongs to Maine citizens. This includes money and other financial assets that are considered lost or abandoned when an owner cannot be located after a specified period of time of inactivity.

Treasurer Joseph Perry said, “Maine has a high population of veterans, and we are reaching out to them as part of Veteran’s Day to let them know they may have unclaimed property in our care.” In addition to $364 million, the Treasurer’s Office also has several military medals, pins, dog tags, and bars. “We’d love to these military items back into the hands of their rightful owners,” Perry said.

In honor of veterans, OST recently scanned its accounts and found over 20 veteran-related/veteran-supporting organizations that have unclaimed property, representing well over $30,000. Outreach to these organizations has been productive. “We’ve begun reaching out to these organizations to help reunite them with amounts as much as over $6,000 and as little as $25,” said Treasurer Perry. To see if you or your organization has unclaimed property go to, www.maineunclaimedproperty.gov.

The Office of the Maine Treasurer also oversees Maine’s ABLE Program. The ABLE ME Program is established and maintained by the Maine State Treasurer in accordance with Applicable Law and administered by Bangor Savings Bank. The ABLE ME Program (also referred to as “ABLE ME”) is designed to help eligible individuals with disabilities save for certain qualified disability expenses on a tax-advantaged basis without jeopardizing eligibility for federal means-tested benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid. The ABLE ME Program is intended to operate as a qualified ABLE program, pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 529A, that was adopted as part of The Stephen Beck, Jr., Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2014, as amended. This federal law authorizes states and state instrumentalities, such as the Maine State Treasurer, to establish and maintain qualified ABLE programs.

Effective January 1, 2026, the ABLE Age Adjustment Act will expand ABLE account eligibility for veterans whose disability began before age 46, a change from the previous age limit of 26. This change, which is expected to include about one million disabled veterans, allows them to save money in a tax-advantaged account while protecting benefits like Medicaid and VA payments. To qualify, veterans must meet the age of onset criteria and either receive Social Security disability benefits or provide a doctor's certification of a disability that began before age 46.

Veteran’s Day puts the spotlight on veterans and their families, and the Bureau of Veterans Services’ goal is to be a one-stop resource for all of veterans’ information needs and to offer exceptional advocacy for Maine’s veterans. They strive to provide streamlined services to Maine’s veterans. Whether it is a request for filing a claim for a service-connected disability or a question about other state or federal benefits. Their mission is to serve, and their staff is here to assist all of Maine’s veterans.

About the Maine Bureau of Veterans’ Services (MBVS) MBVS serves as the state’s advocates for veterans and their families. The Bureau has seven field offices (Bangor, Caribou, Lewiston, Machias, Portland, Springvale, and on the Togus Campus in Augusta) with specially trained Veterans Services Officers who can assist with connection to the VA and state benefits. MBVS also oversees the state’s Maine Veterans’ Cemetery System, and can assist with veterans’ identification, connection to employment, education, and provides homeless and justice affected veterans’ advocacy. MBVS’s field offices can be reached at 207-430-6035 or at mainebvs@maine.gov Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

About the Office of the State Treasurer: The Office of the Treasurer of State is established in Article V, Part Third of the Constitution of the State of Maine. The core duties of the Treasurer’s Office are debt management, cash management, trust fund administration and unclaimed property administration. Other major tasks assigned to the Treasurer are directorships on many of Maine’s quasi-governmental debt issuing agencies and distributions under the Municipal Revenue Sharing Program.

Below is the list of organizations that have unclaimed property in Maine:

American Cold War Veterans Inc - Under $25

Back Woods Veterans Outreach - Under $25

Dept of Veteran Affairs - Over $100

Disabled American Veterans - Over $8,000

Help Hospitalized Veterans - Over $25

Maine Veterans Home - Over $25

Paralyzed Veterans (of America) - Over $25

Togus Veterans Hospital - Over $1,000

Veteran s Affairs News - Over $25

Veterans Memorial Hospital - Over $25

Veterans Assistance Foundation - Under $25