JEFFERSON CITY, MO. -- Missouri Treasurer Clint Zweifel said his office returned a record amount of unclaimed property to rightful owners over the past year.

The treasurer's office oversees the state's unclaimed property division, which holds the unclaimed proceeds from bank accounts, safe deposit boxes and other assets.

“We have put $35 million back into the pockets of Missourians at a critical time,” Zweifel said in a statement. “We do this free of charge and faster than ever before because we know that an average return of $365 can help pay for home repairs, groceries, school supplies or filling up the tank.”

Zweifel said the office returned $35 million to people during the fiscal year that ended June 30. That barely beat Missouri’s old record of $34.5 million set in 2008.

The office returned money and property to 92,000 account holders in the 2010 fiscal year, beating the old record of 75,000 accounts set in 2009.

The breakdown of returns in Missouri Regions:

   -Kansas City Region: $87 million in over 665,000 accounts

   -Mid-Missouri Region: $21 million in over 223,000 accounts

   -Northeast Missouri Region: $6.8 million in 60,000 accounts

   -Northwest Missouri Region: $8 million in over 70,000 accounts

   -Southeast Missouri Region: $12.4 million in over 140,000 accounts

   -Southwest Missouri Region: $30 million in over 320,000 accounts

   -St. Louis Region: $186 million in over 1.1 million accounts