There's a good chance the government is holding money with your name on it. $80 billion in unclaimed property sits in state treasury databases across the US — and the number keeps growing by roughly $3 billion per year. The average claim is $1,780, but individual claims can run into the tens of thousands.
This guide walks you through every major source of unclaimed money, what each database covers, and exactly how to search them.
What Is Unclaimed Property?
Unclaimed property is financial assets that have been abandoned — typically after 3–5 years of inactivity. State laws require financial institutions, utilities, and other holders to report these assets to the state treasury, which holds them indefinitely until the rightful owner comes forward.
Common sources of unclaimed money include:
- Dormant bank accounts and savings bonds
- Uncashed payroll checks and insurance payouts
- Security deposits from old apartments
- Stocks, dividends, and brokerage accounts
- Utility refunds and overpayments
- Safe deposit box contents
Step 1: Search Your State Treasury
Every state maintains its own unclaimed property database. Your first search should be in the state where you currently live, then in every state where you've previously lived or worked.
Go to your state's official treasury or unclaimed property website and search by your full name. Also search for former addresses, maiden names, and the names of deceased relatives — you may be able to claim their abandoned property as an heir.
Pro tips for state searches:
- Search with and without middle name or initial
- Try maiden names and name variations
- Search businesses you've owned or worked for
- Search every state you've lived in, not just your current one
Skip the manual search
FindersKeepers searches all 50 state databases simultaneously, plus federal sources — in one scan.
Start Your Free Scan →Step 2: Search Federal Databases
State treasuries only hold state-reported assets. Several federal programs hold their own unclaimed funds:
HUD Mortgage Refunds
If you've ever paid off an FHA-insured mortgage, you may be owed a partial refund of your upfront mortgage insurance premium. The Department of Housing and Urban Development holds over $30 million in unclaimed HUD refunds. Search at hud.gov/refunds.
PBGC Pension Benefits
The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation administers terminated pension plans. If you worked for a company that folded its pension plan, you may have benefits waiting. The PBGC holds unclaimed benefits for over 80,000 individuals. Search at pbgc.gov/search-unclaimed-pensions.
Treasury Savings Bonds
Billions of dollars in matured, unredeemed savings bonds sit with the US Treasury. Use Treasury Hunt at treasurydirect.gov to search for bonds issued in your name.
IRS Tax Refunds
Undelivered or uncashed tax refund checks can be traced at irs.gov/refunds. If you've moved and your refund was returned, the IRS holds it until claimed.
Step 3: Search MissingMoney.com
MissingMoney.com is the official, NAUPA-endorsed multistate search tool. It searches multiple state databases simultaneously and is free to use. It won't cover every state, but it's a fast way to check the most common holding states at once.
Step 4: Check Financial Institutions Directly
Some assets don't make it into state databases before you find them. Contact old financial institutions directly if you believe you have accounts there — banks, brokerages, credit unions, or insurance companies you may have worked with years ago.
FINRA's BrokerCheck and the SEC's EDGAR are useful for tracking down old brokerage assets if the firm was acquired or went out of business.
How to File a Claim
Filing a claim is straightforward once you've found matching property. Most states require:
- Government-issued photo ID
- Proof of current address (utility bill, bank statement)
- Documentation connecting you to the property (old account numbers, prior addresses)
- For estates: death certificate + proof of heirship
Processing times vary by state — most claims are processed within 60–120 days. Claiming is always free. If a company is charging you to "recover" your unclaimed property, they're either a scam or a recovery service taking a commission you don't need to pay.
The Shortcut: Use FindersKeepers
Manually searching 50 state databases, multiple federal programs, and cross-referencing old names and addresses takes hours. FindersKeepers automates the entire process — scanning every state database plus federal sources simultaneously, flagging every potential match, and walking you through the claim process.
The scan is free. You only pay if we find something and you want help claiming it.