National Unclaimed Property NetworkUnclaimed Money - Free SearchesFREE State and Federal Unclaimed Money Searches
Billions of Dollars of Lost Money!Claim Your Share With Free Searches!
Over 32 Billion in Unclaimed Property and Unclaimed Money is held by
State and Federal Agencies.
You'll Never Know Unless You Search!
What is Unclaimed Property?
Bank accounts, insurance payments, wages, commissions, dividends, stocks, utility deposits or other intangible property become unclaimed money when they go unclaimed for an extended period of time as specified by state laws. Often a company or government isn't notified of an address change and is unable to locate the owner of the unclaimed property. After a specified dormancy period, this missing money is turned over to the state for safe keeping and the owner's names are added to the state databases.
Do you have unclaimed money?
If you have ever moved without leaving a forwarding address or failed to notify a bank, a business, or a government agency of your move, you are very likely to have unclaimed money waiting for you to claim. And often, unfortunately, loved ones pass away without leaving behind records of bank accounts, savings accounts, life insurance policies, stocks and other financial interests.
Every state has an unclaimed property department and a searchable online database.
Use the links we provide to find these free state unclaimed money databases. These government agencies are drawing interest on your money while they wait for you to find it!
The Federal Government also has unclaimed money - many millions of it! Check the federal links such as FDIC, HUD, IRS, PBGC, Federal Treasury Hunt and others. According to irs.gov, "The IRS also has millions of dollars in checks that are returned each year as undeliverable." The PBGC has unclaimed pension money and the FDIC is holding unclaimed insured deposits from bank failures. And the Bureau of Public Debt ( The Treasury) has a search entitled Federal Treasury Hunt!
An often overlooked form of lost money is lost life insurance policies. Up to 20% of life insurance policies become lost life insurance and are turned over to state unclaimed money departments. Often these life insurance polices become lost life insurance policies because the survivors never knew the policy existed.
Real Estate
Real Estate is never included in the definition of Unclaimed Property as used by federal and state laws concerning "escheatment" or the disposition of abandoned property.
Have You Received A Letter Stating That You Have Unclaimed Money?
Many people receive letters stating they have unclaimed money belonging to them. The sender usually states in the letter that he or she will claim the lost money for a fee or percentage of the money.
Letters of this type often come from an "Heir Finder". Heir Finders specialize in searching out unclaimed assets to reunite with the owner. A finder company will want their cut - up to about 30% or more of your missing money. Most states limit the amount that a finder company can charge. In all cases, an individual can apply directly to the state to claim the missing money at no cost.
How Much Unclaimed Property Is Out There?
Various estimates place the total amount of unclaimed money owned by Americans anywhere from "billions" to a trillion dollars. The State of Florida alone reports more than a billion dollars in unclaimed money that it holds for owners. Florida, like most states, offers free searches of unclaimed funds to owners. So does New York which holds about $6 BILLION in unclaimed money!
Why All This Money Is Unclaimed
Why is there so much property sitting in the states' unclaimed money accounts? People simply don't know about it! Our mission is to save you hours of searching the web to find your missing money.
Should you consider a "pay to search service"?
All of the government and some of the private databases we link you to are absolutely free. However, since not all missing money is yet listed in government databases, if you feel there is a high probability that you will find missing money, you may want to consider the "pay to search" services you will see advertised on this site. These services may have access to some missing money before it is published in state databases. This can be unclaimed money that you won't otherwise find.
How To Prevent your property from becoming Unclaimed Money:
- Keep a record of all bank and savings accounts. Indicate your interest in and awareness of all accounts by contacting the holder at least every five years.
- Record all stock certificates and be sure to cash all dividends received.
- Record all utility deposits, including telephone deposits.
- Respond in writing to any requests for confirmation of account balances with banks, stockbrokers and utility companies.
- Prepare a checklist of all accounts to be notified when you change your address. Share this list with a family member or trusted advisor.
- Notify your bank, broker, credit card issuers, employer, 401K administrator, life and health insurance contacts, mortgage lenders, doctors, attorney, accountant, retirement fund, investment accounts, mutual funds, safe deposit box account, and others of any name change or change of address.
- Notify your business contacts of your change of address when you move.
- Cash all checks promptly upon receipt.
Three Reasons your unclaimed money might not be in a state databases:
- The specified wait time has not passed and the money has not yet been turned over to the state.
- A claim for the money has been filed by someone else and the listing has been temporarily removed pending proof of ownership.
- In a few states there is a limit (usually more than ten years) after which the state takes the money from the unclaimed property fund and transfers it to the state treasury.
Good luck and we hope you have "Found Money!"