Search for your parent's name in every state they lived in, then run the federal searches. Claiming usually needs a death certificate and proof you are an heir or the executor. Never pay a finder for this.
Open the official searchUnclaimed.org. Find your state's office. Free. We take no cut.
Estates often leave small loose ends: a last paycheck, an insurance refund, a utility deposit, an old bond. Because nobody was watching those accounts, they end up in state unclaimed property programs.
Rules about who may claim differ by state. If the estate is large or contested, speak to a probate attorney before filing any claim.
Our 12-minute money check lists nine official searches in a fixed order, with the minutes each one takes: your state (2), savings bonds (1), a lost pension (1), a failed bank (1), a closed credit union (1), an undelivered tax refund (2), an FHA refund (1), veterans' life insurance (1) and federal court funds (2). Nine steps, twelve minutes, and none of them costs a cent. Our nine official searches work on a deceased person's name exactly as on your own: state first (2 minutes), then the eight federal sources. The extra work is the paperwork for an heir, not the searching.
Facts on this page match our official-source guides, last checked 2 October 2026. Rules and screens change, so follow the agency's own instructions.
Usually the executor or an heir can, with proof. Each state office lists its own rules.
Not always for small amounts. Check the state's claim form and its rules for heirs.
Every address from the last decade or two is a reasonable start, then older ones.
You never need one. The official searches are free, and a finder takes a cut for the same search.
Once you have done the free searches, The Unclaimed Money Handbook puts every state's office and the paperwork in one PDF. The searches on this site stay free either way.
Open refunds and settlements, with the official link next to each. Free, no finder fee, one click to leave.
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