State Treasurer Spellerberg Provides Office Update During North Platte Stop

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - Nebraska State Treasurer Joey Spellerberg brought his ongoing statewide community update tour to Lincoln County on Tuesday, meeting with local residents and business leaders at Mid-Plains Community College to highlight key updates regarding workforce education, unclaimed assets and state financial security.

Spellerberg, who was appointed to his role last November, emphasized the value of traveling outside the capital to connect directly with rural communities.

“I just wanted to get out throughout the state, listen to Nebraskans on what’s important to them, but also just help Nebraskans understand what the treasurer’s office has, the services, the programs that we have to offer,” Spellerberg said.

A major focus of Tuesday’s stop was the NEST 529 College Savings Plan, which has over 300,000 active accounts statewide. Spellerberg highlighted newly enacted legislation, Legislative Bill 748, which officially expands eligible uses of those tax-advantaged funds to include trade certifications and credentialing programs.

“This year was unique because we passed a bill as LB 748 that now you can use your education funding savings for credentialing, for professional certifications,” Spellerberg said. “So really big for community colleges and folks being able to get their CDL or welding certificate.”

Spellerberg also urged residents to check the state’s unclaimed property division. He noted that roughly one in five Nebraskans has lost cash waiting for them.

“This is a legitimate Nebraska program. It’s been around since the 1960s,” Spellerberg said. “We’ve returned over $315 million of Nebraskans’ money. Just last year alone, we returned over $20 million.”

Beyond savings and consumer funds, the treasurer addressed the office’s ongoing efforts to protect state assets. Spellerberg noted that the treasury management team has worked closely with law enforcement and other constitutional officers to detect and stop rising financial scams.

“We’re right now working to make sure we stop any kind of fraudulent check payment that is happening,” Spellerberg said. “Just this year alone, we’ve had over 40 attempts, about $100,000 of fraudulent check attempts. And so our office is very diligent. We will work with Attorney General Hilgers, we’ll work with the auditor’s office, State Patrol if we need to.”

Spellerberg, a former mayor of Fremont, noted that his familiarity with North Platte’s growth and local leadership made the community an essential stop on his tour.

“I got to know Mayor Kelleher and the goal and what was going on in North Platte,” Spellerberg said. “I just got to see the growth that was happening in North Platte. I just felt, hey, we have to go there. Great people, great business community.”

Residents can check for unclaimed property here or find more information on state treasury programs at treasurer.nebraska.gov.

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