How to find unclaimed money in your name
When a bank or business owes you money and loses touch with you, it must eventually hand that money to a state government. The state holds it until you claim it. Searching and claiming through the state's own program is free.
What unclaimed money is
If a business, bank or government owes you money that you never collected, it counts as unclaimed money or property. Common examples include:
- Checking and savings accounts, and certificates of deposit
- Uncashed paychecks, dividend checks and refunds
- Utility deposits
- Insurance payments, refunds and life insurance policies
- Stocks and the contents of safe deposit boxes
Money becomes unclaimed after a set time with no activity on the account and no contact with the owner. That time is called the dormancy period. In California it is generally three years. After it ends, the law requires the business to turn the money over to the state. California requires the business to send a notice to your last known address first.
You may also be able to claim money that was owed to a relative who died, if you are their legal heir.
Who holds it
State governments hold most unclaimed money. In most states, the unclaimed property program is run by the state treasury. In others it is a different office: the State Controller's Office in California, the Office of the State Comptroller in New York and the Comptroller of Public Accounts in Texas. Find your state's office on the unclaimed money page or in the table below.
1. Search every state where you have lived
Search your state's unclaimed property website first. Then search every other state where you have lived. It is common to have money in more than one state, especially if you have moved.
You can search most states at once at MissingMoney.com. It is a free official site of the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, a group that works with each state to return unclaimed property. If it finds a match, it shows which states and links to their official sites to start a claim. That group's site, unclaimed.org, also links to each state's official program.
Lists change. New York updates its list daily and suggests checking back often.
2. Claim it from the state
Follow the state's instructions to start a claim. In most cases you can do this online as part of the search. You will need to prove who you are and that the money is yours. In general, that means:
- Proof of identity, such as a copy of your driver's license or passport
- Proof that the property is yours, such as a pay stub or utility bill
What a state asks for varies, and it can depend on whether you claim as a person, a business or a joint owner. Send everything it asks for to avoid delays. The state checks your proof and pays you. Some states finish in less than 30 days. Money is usually paid by check.
3. Check federal sources too
No single place lists all unclaimed money. Some money is held by federal agencies, not states. USAGov lists these searches:
- Pensions. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation holds benefits that were never paid when a private employer's retirement plan ended. You can search its database by last name and the last four digits of your Social Security number. A match is only a first step, and you then call the agency.
- Tax refunds. Check the IRS "Where's my refund?" page. If a refund check was lost or stolen, the IRS can trace it.
- Savings bonds. The Treasury Hunt search tool closed on September 30, 2025. For a lost, stolen or destroyed bond, TreasuryDirect explains how to file a claim.
- Failed banks and credit unions. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) lets you search for unclaimed deposits at closed banks. The National Credit Union Administration does the same for closed credit unions.
- FHA mortgage refunds. If you had a mortgage insured by the Federal Housing Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) may owe you a refund.
- Other federal money. USAGov also links searches for unpaid wages from employers, veterans life insurance, investor payouts from the Securities and Exchange Commission and bankruptcy court funds.
Watch out for finder fees and scams
You never have to pay to search for or claim your money from a state. Some companies, called finders or locators, offer to find and claim it for a fee, usually a share of what they find. These services are legal in most cases, but they are not needed. Many states require finders to register. California makes it illegal for them to charge more than 10 percent of the value of the property returned to an owner, with an exception for owners or heirs of county probated estates.
California also warns about generic postcards that ask you to call a phone number about unclaimed property, and letters or emails that tell you to pay an upfront fee or hire a lawyer. If a message asks for a fee, check with your state's unclaimed property office directly.
Where it works differently
- Office name. Most states use the treasurer. California uses the State Controller, and New York and Texas use their comptrollers.
- Time limits. California says there is no deadline to claim property once it reaches the State Controller. New York says there is no time limit.
- Finder rules. California caps most finder fees at 10 percent. Check your own state's finder laws before you sign a contract.
- Gift cards and money orders. Unredeemed money orders and gift certificates count as unclaimed property in some states. New York lists unused gift cards.
State by state
The official statewide page for each state and territory. For a local office near you, search your county or city above.
Sources
- USAGov: How to find unclaimed money from the government
- TreasuryDirect: Treasury Hunt
- TreasuryDirect: Lost, stolen or destroyed EE or I savings bonds
- IRS: Refunds
- FDIC: Unclaimed funds from failed banks
- National Credit Union Administration: Unclaimed deposits
- HUD: Does HUD owe you a refund?
- Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation: Unclaimed retirement benefits search
- National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators: Is it free to search?
- National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators: Search for your unclaimed property
- National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators: Claim your found property
- National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators: What is unclaimed property
- California State Controller's Office: About unclaimed property
- California State Controller's Office: Investigators
- California State Controller's Office: Consumer fraud alerts
- New York State Comptroller: Unclaimed funds
- Texas Comptroller: Unclaimed property
Checked against the sources above on Oct 16, 2026. GovDir is a guide, not legal advice. The agency that handles your case has the final say.