Unclaimed money in Colorado: how to find and claim it

How to claim in Colorado

1. Search your name or business name on the official Great Colorado Payback site. Try past names and past ZIP codes too.

2. Click "Claim" on each property that is yours, then continue to file the claim online.

3. Enter your current mailing address. The check will be mailed there.

4. If the state asks for documents, upload them through the secure link or mail them to the Payback office in Denver.

5. Some claims need no extra paperwork. In that case, expect a check in the mail within a few weeks.

6. Track your claim online with your claim number.

Yes. Some claims are approved without extra paperwork, and the state also mails checks on its own to owners it has already verified. In April to October 2026 it planned to mail more than 123,000 such checks; if you get one, just cash it.

Official instructions for claims

Documents you may need

• The signed claim form (the state may require it to be notarized)
• A copy of your photo ID
• Your Social Security number
• Proof that the property is yours. The claim form emailed to you lists what you need.
• Heirs: proof that you are an heir

Money owed to a relative who died

Pick "Heir" or "Representative" as your relationship to the owner when you file; the state will ask for proof of heirship and a notarized signature. Money from a probated estate (the state's Estates of Deceased Owners list) is different: you must petition the probate court in the county where the estate was probated. Note: 21 years after an estate is probated and its money is sent to the Treasury, that estate money becomes state property.

Contact the program

Program

Colorado Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division

Phone

303-866-6070 or toll-free 1-800-825-2111

Claims by mail

The Great Colorado Payback Office, 200 E. Colfax Ave., Room 141, Denver, CO 80203-1722

Processing time

The Treasury says the average claim takes about 10 days to process after verification, well under the 90 days the law allows. Claims with no extra paperwork are paid by check within a few weeks.

Finder fees in Colorado

A finder agreement signed within 24 months after the property was turned over to the state is void. After that, a finder can charge at most 10% of the property. The agreement must be in writing, signed by you, describe the property and services, show the amount before and after the fee, and say you can claim directly from the state for free. The state pays only you, never the finder. If a fee is above the cap, you (or the Treasurer for you) can sue in Denver District Court to cut it.

Law: C.R.S. §§ 38-13-1301 and 38-13-1302; Treasury rule 8 CCR 1508-1, Rule 1.5.11 (10% cap)

Good to know

• There is no time limit to claim. The state holds the money until the owner or an heir claims it.
• Since 2025 the Treasury has mailed some checks automatically to owners it has already verified, with no paperwork. The biggest round so far went out in 2026.
• About one in ten Coloradans has unclaimed property, according to the Treasury.

Also check outside Colorado

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 Colorado

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