Billions in Unclaimed Money: How Americans Can Find Hidden Cash Held by Their States
From Forgotten Bank Accounts to Abandoned Safe Deposit Boxes, Millions Are Owed Money They Never Knew Existed
Do you need some extra cash to cover your vacation expenses? Your state may be holding money that belongs to you and is simply waiting to be claimed, according to The Hill.
Nationwide, state officials typically assign their treasury departments or financial auditors to collect property from inactive bank accounts, overpaid bills, uncashed checks, unpaid wages, or abandoned safe deposit boxes.
What Counts as Unclaimed Property and How to Recover It
In most cases, these unclaimed assets are cash. However, abandoned safe deposit boxes may contain items such as artwork or baseball cards. Estimates suggest that one in every ten Americans has unclaimed property.
If a company or institution owes you money or property through any of these means, state laws usually require it to make every reasonable effort to return it to you. If those efforts fail and the owner cannot be located, the funds or property may be transferred to the state. At the same time, states allow individuals to search official records to determine whether any unclaimed property is listed under their name.
In Utah, for example, officials announced in October that the state’s Unclaimed Property Division had received $178.3 million in unclaimed assets through fiscal year 2025. During the same period, the division returned a record $43.4 million to rightful owners across the state.
Searching for unclaimed money or property is relatively simple. Individuals typically need to search by their name—or the name of a relative, spouse, or business they own—and complete a claims process, which varies depending on the state and the type of property.
Where to Search—and What Happens If No One Claims the Money
You can search for unclaimed property through MissingMoney.com, a database created by U.S. states and Canadian provinces to help people find assets owed to them in both countries. Alternatively, you can search directly through your state’s official unclaimed property website.
Some states auction off unclaimed property if it remains unclaimed for extended periods. For example, the Alabama State Treasurer regularly auctions items including jewelry, rare coins, and gold bars.
States report holding millions—or even billions—of dollars in unclaimed funds. In California, unclaimed property is valued at approximately $15 billion, according to the State Controller’s Office. In Texas, the total exceeds $10.5 billion, while Ohio has nearly $4.8 billion waiting to be claimed.
