Unclaimed money in Alabama: how to find and claim it

How to claim in Alabama

1. Search your name (and old business or family names) on unclaimed.alabama.gov. Searching is free.

2. Check the CLAIM box next to each item that is yours and click Continue to File Claim. Enter your current mailing address, because the check goes there.

3. Read the email the state sends you. It lists the exact documents your claim needs.

4. Sign the claim form. Mail it with your documents to P.O. Box 302520, Montgomery, AL 36130-2520, or bring it to Suite 636, 100 North Union Street, Montgomery (Mon–Fri, 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.).

5. Use your claim number to check your claim's status online.

If you get a "Quick Claim" postcard from the Treasury, you can sign the card and mail it back with a copy of your photo ID and proof of your Social Security number; you do not need a separate claim form. By law, claims of $200 or less can be paid with a sworn affidavit when you lack matching paperwork (Ala. Code § 35-12-84(c)).

Official instructions for claims

Documents you may need

• Completed and signed claim form
• Copy of government-issued photo ID (driver's license, military ID or passport)
• Proof of your Social Security number (Social Security card, tax return, pay stub, etc.)
• Any other items listed on the claim form the state emails you

Money owed to a relative who died

If a probate court named you executor or administrator, you can claim for the estate. If there was no will or estate, the spouse (or, if none, the children, then the parents) may claim without a probate order for small amounts, using a probate court letter saying no estate was opened and an affidavit signed by all heirs (Ala. Code § 35-12-84); call 888-844-8400 for help.

Contact the program

Program

Office of the Alabama State Treasurer, Unclaimed Property Division

Phone

888-844-8400

Claims by mail

Office of State Treasurer, Unclaimed Property Division, P.O. Box 302520, Montgomery, AL 36130-2520

Processing time

The Treasury says claims usually take 6 to 8 weeks on average. By law it must approve or deny a claim within 120 days and pay within 30 days after approval.

Finder fees in Alabama

A finder agreement is void if signed between the date the property was presumed abandoned and 24 months after it was turned over to the Treasurer (an agreement with a lawyer to file a claim is an exception). After that, the agreement must be in writing, describe the property and services, say you can claim it from the state for free, and be signed by you. The total fee cannot be more than 10% of the amount claimed.

Law: Ala. Code § 35-12-93

Good to know

• Wages and utility deposits are turned over to the state after just 1 year; most other property after 3 years.
• After money reaches the state it does not earn interest, but you still get any stock dividends paid later.
• Unclaimed safe deposit box items may be sold at public auction; the sale money is held for the owner.

Also check outside Alabama

Search every other state where you lived or worked. Some money, like old savings bonds and IRS refunds, is held by federal agencies.

Questions about Alabama

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