Americans are losing out on billions of dollars of personal property – and most of them don’t know it.

Unclaimed property has become a silent wealth killer with a recent New York Times report estimating the total number around $80 billion. Unclaimed property is defined as any financial asset that has been lost or abandoned by its owner and, consequently, resides in a state or federal account.

These assets can range from unpaid wages and pensions to uncashed money orders, unused gift cards and undeposited tax refunds. Among the biggest contributors to unclaimed property are lost life insurance policies.

As a result, life insurance advisors are on the front lines of combating the unclaimed property issue and helping find lost life insurance policies. But with the rise in digital banking and currency, advisors will likely need more advanced tools to ensure clients and their families are claiming all their rightful property.