How to Find Out If Your State Owes You Money

Every state has a way to search for your unclaimed property. You could be owed lots of money!

Maybe you're a whiz at saving money—from knowing where to invest to how get the best deals. Maybe you've just started putting money aside. But no matter how savvy you are on the saving spectrum, did you know there could be money just sitting there, waiting for you to claim it? If not, there's a good chance you're missing out. Unclaimed property—which could be a check, a refund, even a stock—is property that has been turned over to the state because it was left untouched for a certain period of time. That doesn't mean it's the state's for good, however: You may be entitled to claim that money now.

According to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, 1 in 10 people have unclaimed property owed to them. Was there an insurance payment you never received? A security deposit you never got back? Don't scratch your head trying to remember. Instead, find your state on our list—either your current state or any state where you've lived—and discover how you can see what you're owed. Then find out how to claim that cash! And for more money that could be coming your way, If You're Unemployed in One of These 14 States, Expect an Extra $300 Soon.

Alabama

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You can search the Office of the State Treasurer Unclaimed Property Division site with just your name, or narrow your search by including the city and zip code where you live.

And for more ways to increase your savings, discover 15 Easy Ways to Stop Wasting Money.

Alaska

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The Alaska Department of Revenue Treasury Division just needs your last name, but you can add your first and middle name as well when making your search for unclaimed property.

Arizona

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According to the Arizona Department of Revenue, the current value of unclaimed property in the state is an astounding $1,534,930,705. See if any of that is owed to you by searching your name.

And if you want to be smart about your spending, avoid The 20 Worst Things to Buy at Walmart.

Arkansas

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Arkansas State Auditor Andrea Lea has made things extra fun by calling the unclaimed property search the "Arkansas Treasure Hunt." Click the link and put in your name, as well as your city and zip code for a more pointed search.

California

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There is no deadline for claiming what's owed you, California State Controller Betty T. Yee reminds. Use the link to search for your unclaimed property—only a last name is necessary.

And for more advice on setting money aside, learn these 33 Tiny Shopping Habits That Will Save You Loads of Money in the Long Run.

Colorado

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The Colorado Unclaimed Property Website says the state has $507,926,804 to give back. You can easily search with just your last name, or add a city and zip code.

Connecticut

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According to the Office of Treasurer Shawn T. Wooden, the state of Connecticut has a staggering $874,132,800.10 in unclaimed property to distribute. Click the link and search with your name or property ID to find out what you're owed.

Delaware

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Over the last three years, the Delaware Office of Unclaimed Property says they have returned more than $300 million. Search using your name to discover if they'll be making a payment to you.

Worried you're overspending? Check out these 17 Clever Ways Stores Deceive You Into Spending More Money.

Florida

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In Florida, there's a 1 in 5 chance you have unclaimed property, per the Florida's Treasure Hunt website. On top of that, the state paid back $323 million last year. You can do a basic search with just your last name, or a more advanced search including middle name, city, and zip code.

Georgia

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The Georgia Department of Revenue has a straightforward Georgia Unclaimed Property site you can quickly search. Type in your last name to get started.

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Hawaii

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The State of Hawaii Department of Budget and Finance wants to let you know that their Unclaimed Property Program is operational. You can contact them by phone—but you can also simply use their website to search your name.

Idaho

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Just this year, the Idaho State Treasurer's Office has paid out $3,375,082 in unclaimed property. "Search now to see if some of it belongs to you," their website advises. You just need a last name, but you can also include a city and zip code to narrow the search.

Illinois

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Illinois State Treasurer Michael W. Frerichs says he's holding an incredible $3.5 billion in unclaimed funds. Use the search function and input your name to find out if you can get a chunk of that change.

Indiana

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The State of Indiana Office of the Attorney General Unclaimed Property Division proudly reports that they have paid out $36,073,102 in 2020. Again, all you need for a search is a last name, but for better results, include a city, zip code, and a property ID, if you have it.

Iowa

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Iowa State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald welcomes residents to the "great Iowa treasure hunt." You can search for your unclaimed property on the site with your name, joining others who have received a total of $288,081,004 from the state.

Kansas

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The average claim paid by the Treasurer's Office in Kansas is $213.28, which is nothing to sniff at—nor is the $49,557,001.25 paid out overall. Do your own search using your name to see if you're owed anything.

Kentucky

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Kentucky does not have their own site you can use to search for unclaimed property. Instead, State Treasurer Allison Ball directs you to use the Missing Money site, then provides instructions on how to claim your funds.

Louisiana

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According to the Louisiana State Treasurer's Unclaimed Property Page, the state has paid out over $586,025,525. You can find out if anything is owed to you with a simple search using your name, along with your city and zip code.

Maine

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Just how much money does Maine have in unclaimed property? That would be $259,822,360, according to the Office of the State Treasurer. Thankfully, you can do a search on the site starting with your name to see if any of that is yours.

Maryland

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The Comptroller of Maryland site is a bit harder to navigate than some of the others, but rest assured you can still search for your unclaimed property. All you need is a first and last name to get started.

Massachusetts

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The Massachusetts State Treasurer's Unclaimed Property Division reports that they have paid over $225 million in the last two years. As with other state sites, you can search using just your last name, or include more details—like a city and zip code—for a more pointed search.

Michigan

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The Michigan Department of Treasury Unclaimed Property site proudly proclaims that $400 million has been paid out over the last five years. To see if you qualify for some of the money they're hanging on to, do a quick search of your name.

Minnesota

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In order to search for your unclaimed property in Minnesota, you'll need to first say if you're searching as a person or a business. The site will walk you through the next steps—it's easy!

Mississippi

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The State Treasury of Mississippi has a newly revamped site to find out if you have unclaimed property owed to you. "Type your last name, your church's name, your company's name, or even a friend's name into the search box below," they advise. Then see if you have anything to claim.

Missouri

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As Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick explains, finding out if there's unclaimed property in your name is easy. The three steps start with searching your name in the online database, and then filing a claim accordingly.

Montana

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The Montana Department of Revenue doesn't make it all that straightforward, but they actually suggest two ways to search for your unclaimed property: You can use their online database, or the Missing Money website.

Nebraska

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Nebraska has paid out over $213,098,592, per the Nebraska Unclaimed Property site. Search using your last name or business name, and include your first name if you'd like.

Nevada

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People associate Nevada with winning big, and perhaps you're overdue for a payout yourself. Use the state's unclaimed property search, first specifying if you're searching for a person or a business, and discover what you're owed.

New Hampshire

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How much has the New Hampshire State Treasury's Abandoned Property Division returned? An impressive $144,258,181 so far. All your need is your name to get a search started and make your claim.

New Jersey

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New Jersey has an entire Unclaimed Property Administration at your disposal. The steps to finding out if you're owed money are pretty much the same as every other state, and they start with a search using your name, along with your city, zip code, and property ID, if you have it.

New Mexico

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New Mexico does not have an unclaimed property site to search, but don't fret! The Taxation & Revenue site directs you to search the national database via the Missing Money website.

New York

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Here are some shocking figures from the Office of the New York State Comptroller. The state currently has $16.5 billion in unclaimed property, they return $1.5 million every day, and they have paid out $271,644,646 just in 2020. All you need is a last name to start your search.

North Carolina

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North Carolina's unclaimed property website is called NC Cash, which reflects the fact that the state has paid out $39,759,941 over their past fiscal year "to people like you." If you want in, search the database using your last name and any other information you'd like to provide.

North Dakota

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Per North Dakota Unclaimed Property, the state has returned close to $80 million. Care to try your luck and see if you can push them over that mark? You can easily see if you're owed any money just by typing in your name on the site.

Ohio

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The Ohio Department of Commerce wants to help you "find missing money." Type in your last name or business name to get started on claiming any funds that are owed to you.

Oklahoma

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Claiming unclaimed property is the "easiest way to feather your nest," says the OK Treasure site. There's over $700 million dollars waiting to be claimed, so go ahead and enter your last name to see if you're one of the 825,000 Oklahomans on the list.

Oregon

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Oregon Unclaimed Property reports that the state has returned a whopping $408,598,932 to date. Could you be owed some of the funds they have yet to pay back? The website has a simple search function to help you find out—just enter your name.

Pennsylvania

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Good news: The Pennsylvania Treasury Department's Bureau of Unclaimed Property is "fully operational." There are currently over $3.5 billion funds waiting to be claimed, and 1 in 10 Pennsylvania residents are eligible. Search using your last name; you can also include your first name, middle name, city, and zip code to find out what you're owed.

Rhode Island

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The State of Rhode Island Unclaimed Property Division has paid out close to $250 million, the site says. As with other states, all it takes is a last name to start the search and see if there's any unclaimed property waiting for you.

South Carolina

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As State Treasurer of South Carolina Curtis M. Loftis, Jr. notes on the Unclaimed Property Program site, there are millions returned every year. Begin your search with a last name to discover if South Carolina is holding onto any funds for you.

South Dakota

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"Hey, South Dakotans, is this your money?" asks State Treasurer Josh Haeder on the Unclaimed Property Division site. With $600 million to return to residents, you have nothing to lose from a quick search. Start with your last name, along with a city, zip code, and property ID, if you'd like.

Tennessee

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In Tennessee, there are $976 million in the unclaimed property fund, according to the Tennessee Treasury Department. You can search by name (personal or business) or property ID to see if any of that money is yours.

Texas

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You might be shocked to learn that Texas has returned more than $3 billion in unclaimed property, according to the Texas Unclaimed Property website. As in other states, you can start with a last name, or provide more information for a more targeted search.

Utah

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So far, Utah has paid out $320,186,366, the state's unclaimed property site reports. If you think you're owed money—and even if you don't—you can do a simple search with just your last name.

Vermont

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To search for unclaimed property, the State of Vermont Office of the State Treasurer allows you to look through the database by last name, town, or both.

Virginia

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"Don't be left out," Virginia Treasury's Unclaimed Property Program site warns, noting that 1,066,607 have searched for money owed to them. If you want to be the next person to do so, search your name. Make sure you specify if you're searching on your own behalf, for a deceased person, or for a business.

Washington

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Here's a fun fact from the Washington State Department of Revenue: There's a 1 in 2 chance that you or someone you know has unclaimed property in the state. You can do an easy search with your name, or type in a reference number, if you have that on hand.

West Virginia

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"Are we holding your money?" asks West Virginia State Treasurer John Perdue. On the state's unclaimed property site, you can see if you have money coming to you by entering your last name. To date, $226,576,136 has been paid out.

Wisconsin

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The State of Wisconsin Department of Revenue website offers you a straightforward way to search for your unclaimed property. As in other states, all you need is a last name, though you can also search with a property ID, if you have that.

Wyoming

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The Wyoming State Treasurer Unclaimed Property site has a video you can watch for instructions on getting your cash. But you don't need to watch it, if you don't want to—you can go ahead and search by typing in your name, as well as any other information you have to narrow your search.

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