Frictions in recovering unclaimed property: Evidence from a large-scale natural field experiment

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Zentner, Alejandro; Holz, Justin
• 署名单位: University of Texas System; University of Texas Dallas; University of Michigan System; University of Michigan
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2025.105449
• 发表日期: 2025
• 关键词: Unclaimed property; Nudge; Filing frictions; RACE; ETHNICITY; Natural field experiment

摘要

Governments hold billions of dollars in assets abandoned or forgotten by their owners. We conducted a largescale natural field experiment to understand the role of filing frictions preventing claims of this property. Overall, increasing awareness and providing instructions increased claims substantially. We also study unequal access. In the control group, Hispanic property owners are 64 % less likely to claim their property than White owners, leading to unequal access to one's own property. Hispanic subjects are also less responsive to aid. We discuss policy implications and how the setting we introduce can be used to conduct natural field experiments without the biases and restrictions that may arise when conducting experiments with a partner organization.