Pot of Gold at the End of $14 Billion (Forgotten) Rainbow in New York

You may be entitled to a little bit of gold left at the end of a (forgotten) $14 billion rainbow in New York.

For those who have money, it was theirs to begin with, and for whatever reason has been forgotten or unclaimed.

"Forgetting" money happens more than you may think.  In some cases, especially in real estate transactions, people do not know that they are even entitled to the money in the first place, the result of refunds or overpays.

As of this posting a record $14 billion is sitting in the state's coffers, waiting for the rightful owners to step forward. Five years ago, according to the Office of State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, the amount was approximately $11 billion.

Despite the fact that DiNapoli's office has stepped up its efforts to make people aware of the potential for unclaimed funds - paying out more than $425 million during the past year - more money is being forgotten.

Some suggest that the increase is a result of the uptick in online and electronic transactions and an improving economy.

Find out if you are owed money: