New Jersey · Unclaimed property · Updated Oct 2026
New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property Administration (UPA) holds money that businesses could not return to its owners. Here is how to search, what proof you need and how long it takes.
Search New Jersey's official list of unclaimed property by name.
Search in New JerseySearch your name on the state's search site. Check that the address shown is one where you lived.
File your claim online from the search results. The state says this is the fastest way.
Watch your email. The UPA sends a claim form that lists the property and any proof it needs.
Upload the requested documents online. Only send documents the UPA asks for.
If you can't find your property, use 'Request a Property Search'. Staff search by hand and reply within about 2 weeks.
Check your claim status online with your claim ID.
There is no automatic-payment program listed. But some online claims are pre-approved from the information you enter, and you won't be asked for any documents.
You need proof from the county Surrogate's Court that you have the legal right to claim, dated within one year, plus a copy of the death certificate and the deceased person's SSN. If there was no will, no surviving spouse, and the estate is $10,000 or less, one next of kin can file an Affidavit of Next of Kin with the Surrogate instead of full administration. The other next of kin of the same degree must consent in writing.
A finder agreement made within 24 months after the property was turned over to the state is void. After that, the fee can be no more than 20% of the property's value. The agreement must be in writing, signed by you, and show the property's value and what you keep after the fee.
Law: N.J.S.A. 46:30B-106
Watch out: The UPA never charges a fee to search for or claim your property.
Search every other state where you lived or worked. Some money, like old savings bonds and IRS refunds, is held by federal agencies.
Money that businesses could not return to you and had to hand over to a state, such as old bank accounts and insurance policies. USA.gov says state governments hold most unclaimed money.
Official siteOld paper or electronic U.S. savings bonds that were never cashed, including bonds that have matured and stopped earning interest (EE and I bonds earn interest for up to 30 years), plus lost, stolen or destroyed bonds.
Official siteTax refunds owed to people who never filed a federal tax return for a year, often because they earned little and were not required to file. The IRS says taxpayers usually have three years to file and claim a refund; after that the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury.
Official siteSearch the official database run by the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property Administration (UPA). Searching is free. Search every name you have used and every address where you lived in New Jersey.
No. The state does not charge a fee to claim. A finder agreement made within 24 months after the property was turned over to the state is void. After that, the fee can be no more than 20% of the property's value. The agreement must be in writing, signed by you, and show the property's value and what you keep after the fee.
You need proof from the county Surrogate's Court that you have the legal right to claim, dated within one year, plus a copy of the death certificate and the deceased person's SSN. If there was no will, no surviving spouse, and the estate is $10,000 or less, one next of kin can file an Affidavit of Next of Kin with the Surrogate instead of full administration. The other next of kin of the same degree must consent in writing.
Last checked: Oct 2026.