How-to
Checking for unclaimed money in your name
Search the unclaimed property office in every state you've lived in, then the federal databases for back wages, pensions, savings bonds and failed banks.
Satisfy+ Editorial · Published October 9, 2026 · 2 min read · 30 min to do
This is general education, not individual financial, investment or tax advice.
At a glance
- What it is
- Money a business, bank or government owed you and you never collected
- Where most of it is
- State unclaimed property offices
- Cost to search
- Free on the official sites
- Also check
- Federal databases, one by type
Unclaimed money is money a business, a financial institution or a government owes you that you never collected. Bank accounts, insurance policies and state agencies are common sources. State governments hold most of it, and searching their official sites is free.
What you need
- A list of every state you've lived or worked in
- Your past addresses, and any former names
- About half an hour
Steps
- 1
Search your state's unclaimed property office
Start with the state you live in now. Unclaimed.org links to each state's official search.
5 min
- 2
Search every state you've lived in
Money can sit in a state where you used to live or work. Search each former name and address.
10 min
- 3
Check the federal databases
No single site searches for all unclaimed money, so each federal type has its own database.
10 min
- 4
Claim what you find
Each state's site has its own claim form and lists the proof of identity it asks for. File through the official site only.
5 min
- 5
Note the date you searched
Write down each state and database you searched, and save the reference number of any claim.
1 min
Search for unclaimed money
- Check unclaimed property in each state you've lived in
- Fill in FS Form 1048 for any lost savings bond
The federal databases
- Unpaid wages. The Department of Labor keeps a database of back pay an employer might owe you.
- Pensions from former employers. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation has a search tool.
- FHA insurance refunds. HUD keeps a database for people who had a mortgage insured by the Federal Housing Administration.
- Tax refunds. The IRS's Where's My Refund tool tracks a refund that never arrived.
- Savings bonds. A lost, stolen or destroyed bond is claimed on FS Form 1048 from TreasuryDirect. The Treasury Hunt search for matured bonds closed on September 30, 2025.
- Failed banks and credit unions. The FDIC has a database for closed banks, and the National Credit Union Administration has a page of unclaimed deposits from closed credit unions.
- Veterans' life insurance. The Department of Veterans Affairs keeps its own database.
- Money from SEC enforcement cases. The Securities and Exchange Commission keeps a database of money returned to harmed investors.
- Individual Indian Money accounts. The Bureau of Trust Funds Administration has a Whereabouts Unknown search.
Searches that cost money
Searching for your own unclaimed property is free. A message offering to find your money for a fee isn't the official search. Go to the state's site directly, through Unclaimed.org or USA.gov. For help finding the right database, USAGov answers free by phone at 1-844-USAGOV1 or by chat.
FAQ
How do I find unclaimed money in my name?
Search the unclaimed property office in your state, and in every other state where you've lived.
Does it cost money to search for unclaimed property?
No. Searching the official sites is free.
Sources
Checked October 20, 2026
- USAGov. How to find unclaimed money from the government (2025)
- National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. Find and claim your missing money (2026)
- U.S. Department of the Treasury, TreasuryDirect. Treasury Hunt (2025)
- U.S. Department of the Treasury, TreasuryDirect. Savings bond forms (2026)
- Savings
- Beginner
- Free
- DIY
