Find money the government is holding for you
Old paychecks, forgotten bank accounts, savings bonds, tax refunds you never filed for, a pension from a job you left years ago. Billions of dollars sit with states and federal agencies waiting for their owners. Searching is free and takes about ten minutes. Here's where to look.
Free search ยท about 2 minutes
Start with your state
States hold billions in forgotten paychecks, bank accounts, deposits and refunds, and $29.7 billion in old savings bonds is still uncashed. It's yours to claim, free.
1. Search every state you've lived in
When a business can't reach you, it has to hand your money to the state: uncashed paychecks, closed bank and brokerage accounts, utility and rent deposits, insurance payouts, refunds, even the contents of safe deposit boxes. The state keeps it for you, often for as long as it takes you to ask.
- MissingMoney.com searches most states at once. It's free and run by the association of state unclaimed property offices.
- Unclaimed.org links to every state's official unclaimed property site, including the few that don't take part in MissingMoney.
- Search your current name and any former names, and every state where you've lived or worked.
- Search for parents and grandparents who have died, too. Heirs can usually claim with the right paperwork.
2. Old savings bonds
Treasury's old Treasury Hunt search closed in 2025. Unclaimed bonds are now handled by state unclaimed property offices, so the search above covers them too. How to find and cash old savings bonds.
3. Tax refunds you never filed for
If you had taxes withheld but didn't file, you may be owed a refund, and you only get three years to claim it. How to claim an unfiled tax refund.
4. Pensions and 401(k)s from old jobs
Two free federal searches cover retirement money left with former employers. How to find a lost pension or 401(k).
5. Refunds from FTC cases
When the Federal Trade Commission wins money back from a company that cheated customers, it usually mails checks or sends payments straight to the people affected. Some cases need you to file a claim instead. The FTC lists them on its refund cases page.
Every state's official search
These are the official, free state sites, as listed by the state treasurers' association.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Never pay to get your own money
- Searching and claiming through the official state or federal site doesn't cost anything.
- "Finders" may write offering to recover your money for a cut. It's legal in many states, but you can do it yourself for free.
- Be wary of emails, texts or calls saying you're owed money and asking for a fee, a gift card or bank details. Go to the official site yourself instead of clicking a link.
Taxpayer Treasures is an independent guide and isn't affiliated with any government agency. Rules and deadlines vary by state and can change; the official sites always have the final word.