New York · Unclaimed property · Updated Oct 2026
Office of the New York State Comptroller, Office of Unclaimed Funds 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 York's official list of unclaimed property by name.
Search in New YorkSearch your last name in the state database. Try nicknames, misspellings and old addresses. If you got a letter, search by its Property ID.
Click Claim next to each item that is yours, pick your relationship to the owner, and enter your name, date of birth, SSN and mailing address.
Sign electronically and submit. Check your email within 48 hours to see whether you need to send proof.
If asked, upload your documents online. This is the fastest way.
If you don't want to give your SSN online, or can't find property you were told about after 3 months, mail a paper claim form. You must sign it in front of a notary.
Yes. Under the Expedited Payment Program, the state can mail you up to $5,000 with no claim needed, once it verifies you are the owner. If you get a check from the Comptroller, cash it.
If a court appointed an estate representative, only that person can claim. They send the death certificate and a Surrogate's Court certificate of appointment dated within 6 months. If there is no representative, the closest living relative can use the state's Small Estates Affidavit and Table of Heirs, but only when the funds are under $1,000. A funeral payer can claim up to $5,000 in reimbursement.
A finder (location service provider) can charge no more than 15% of the property's value. The agreement must be in writing on the Comptroller's form, signed by you, and notarized. It must state in bold that you can get the money from the state for free. There is no waiting period in the law.
Law: N.Y. Abandoned Property Law § 1416
Watch out: Beware of people who pretend to be the government and offer to send you unclaimed money for a fee or your personal information.
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 Office of the New York State Comptroller, Office of Unclaimed Funds. Searching is free. Search every name you have used and every address where you lived in New York.
No. The state does not charge a fee to claim. A finder (location service provider) can charge no more than 15% of the property's value. The agreement must be in writing on the Comptroller's form, signed by you, and notarized. It must state in bold that you can get the money from the state for free. There is no waiting period in the law.
If a court appointed an estate representative, only that person can claim. They send the death certificate and a Surrogate's Court certificate of appointment dated within 6 months. If there is no representative, the closest living relative can use the state's Small Estates Affidavit and Table of Heirs, but only when the funds are under $1,000. A funeral payer can claim up to $5,000 in reimbursement.
Most claims are paid within 30 days. If you are asked for more documents, allow up to 90 days after the state receives them. Approved checks are mailed within 30 days.
Last checked: Oct 2026.