There May Be Unclaimed Money With Your Name On It

Billions in forgotten money is waiting to be claimed

Every year, money gets lost. A final paycheck from an old job. A utility deposit you never got back. An insurance payout, a refund, or a bank account you forgot about after a move.

When a company cannot find you, that money does not disappear. By law, it gets turned over to the state as unclaimed property. The state holds it until the rightful owner comes to claim it.

That owner could be you. And checking is completely free.

Start with the site that covers many states at once

The fastest place to begin is MissingMoney.com. It is the official multi-state search tool endorsed by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA), the group of state officials who run these programs.

You can type in your name and search across many states at the same time. This matters if you have moved around, worked in more than one state, or lived somewhere years ago.

There is no fee to search and no fee to file a claim through the official system.

Then check each state where you have lived

MissingMoney.com covers a lot of ground, but not every state feeds into it the same way. Some states run their own separate database.

That is why the best move is to also visit the official unclaimed property site for each state where you have lived or worked. You can find the full list of official state programs through NAUPA at unclaimed.org.

Search your name, common misspellings, and any past addresses. Also check names of relatives whose estates you may handle. Every state has its own program, and here is how to search yours for free.

Watch out for people who want to charge you

Because this money is real, some companies offer to find it for you and take a cut. You do not need them.

The official state and NAUPA tools are free. If someone contacts you promising to recover your unclaimed money for a fee, you can almost always do the same thing yourself at no cost.

Take your time. There is no rush and no deadline to worry about. The money stays yours until you claim it.

Frequently asked questions

Does it cost anything to search or claim?

No. Searching and filing a claim through the official state and NAUPA tools is free. You never have to pay a middleman to get money that is already yours.

Why should I check more than one site?

MissingMoney.com covers many states at once, but not every state uses it the same way. Some run their own separate database, so it is worth checking each state where you have lived.

Is there a deadline to claim my money?

There is no rush. States hold unclaimed property until the rightful owner claims it, so you can take your time and search carefully.

What kinds of money show up?

Old paychecks, utility or rental deposits, insurance payouts, refunds, and forgotten bank accounts are common examples.