How to Find Unclaimed Money in Your Name — Blog

There are billions of dollars in unclaimed money held by state and federal governments across the United States. Old bank accounts, forgotten security deposits, uncashed insurance checks, and abandoned safe deposit boxes -- all waiting for their rightful owners to claim them. Here is how to find out if any of it belongs to you.

What Counts as Unclaimed Money

Unclaimed money, also called unclaimed property, includes a wide variety of financial assets:

Bank accounts that have been inactive for several years
Uncashed checks (payroll, tax refunds, vendor payments)
Insurance policy payouts and death benefits
Security deposits from old apartments or utilities
Stocks, dividends, and mutual fund accounts
Safe deposit box contents
Refunds from companies that could not reach you
Gift card balances from retailers that went out of business

When these assets go unclaimed for a period (typically three to five years depending on the state), they are turned over to the state through a process called escheatment.

Where to Search

Start with these legitimate, free resources:

Your state's unclaimed property website (every state has one)
The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) runs a multi-state search
The US Treasury for savings bonds and federal tax refunds
The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation for unclaimed pension benefits
Your state's court system for unclaimed court settlements

Search under your current name, maiden name, previous names, and any name variations you have used. Also search for deceased family members, as heirs can often claim their unclaimed property.

How to File a Claim

Once you find unclaimed money, the claiming process varies by state but generally follows these steps:

Verify the listing matches you (name, address history, amount)
Submit a claim through the state's website or by mail
Provide identification (driver's license, Social Security card)
Provide proof of address history if the asset is linked to a previous address
Wait for processing (typically 30 to 90 days)

Most claims are straightforward. Larger claims or those involving estates may require additional documentation like death certificates or probate documents.

Watch Out for Scams

Legitimate unclaimed property searches are always free through government websites. Be cautious of:

Services that charge upfront fees to search for unclaimed money
Emails or letters claiming you have unclaimed money and asking for personal information
Companies demanding a percentage of the claim before doing any work

You can do everything yourself at no cost. The government wants to return your money -- that is the entire point of the unclaimed property system.

Automate Your Search With MoneyBack

MoneyBack helps you systematically search for unclaimed money across all relevant databases. Instead of visiting dozens of state websites one by one, get a comprehensive search that checks everywhere your money might be hiding. Find out in minutes what would take hours to search manually.