Free Heir Checklist: claiming a deceased parent's unclaimed money
One page, US Letter, free, no email needed. It puts the official route in one place: where to search, the documents states usually ask for, and the pitfalls to avoid.
Download the free Heir Checklist (PDF)
Have this ready
- A certified copy of the death certificate
- Proof of your relationship: birth certificate, will or court appointment
- Their Social Security number, maiden name and every address they lived at
The route, in short
- List every state your parent lived in, oldest address first.
- Search each state's official unclaimed property site by their full name and any former name.
- Run the federal searches: savings bonds, pensions, VA insurance, FDIC and NCUA, and HUD refunds.
- File on the state's own claim page and send copies of the documents it asks for.
Life insurance is a separate, free search: the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator, see how to find a lost life insurance policy.
Before you go
Rules about who may claim differ by state. If the estate is large or contested, speak to a probate attorney before filing any claim. You never need to pay a finder: the official searches are free, and we take no cut either. This is information, not legal advice.