Unclaimed money in Tennessee: how to find and claim it

How to claim in Tennessee

1. Search your name for free at ClaimItTN.gov (the Treasury's search site).

2. If there is a match, file your claim online. The address you put on the claim is where the check will be mailed.

3. Sign the claim and gather copies of your photo ID, proof of your current address, proof of your Social Security number, and proof that the property is yours.

4. Upload your documents and check your claim status in the Unclaimed Property Claims Portal.

5. If you got a Treasury letter at home or at work, use ClaimItTN.gov to finish the online form; the state will tell you if it needs more documents.

Official instructions for claims

Documents you may need

• A signed online or paper claim form
• A copy of your driver's license or other photo ID
• Proof of the address on your claim form (driver's license, recent bill or pay stub)
• Proof of your Social Security number (Social Security card, tax records or a recent pay stub)
• Proof of ownership: your SSN if the company reported it; otherwise proof you lived at the last known address (postmarked envelope, cancelled check, credit report, pay stub, utility bill) or proof you did business with the company (insurance policy, uncashed check, bank book, stock certificate)
• Joint owners: each owner sends the standard documents; for a minor, also the minor's birth certificate; for a power of attorney, the POA papers

Money owed to a relative who died

You choose to pay the estate or to split the money among heirs; claims of $10,000 or more must be paid to the estate. Estate claims need a certified death certificate, certified letters testamentary or of administration, and the estate's FEIN; heir claims need a certified death certificate, the probated will (or an obituary if there was no will), and each heir's certified birth certificate, with each heir filing a separate claim.

Contact the program

Program

Tennessee Department of Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division

Phone

866-370-9429

Claims by mail

Unclaimed Property Division, P.O. Box 190693, Nashville, TN 37219-0693

Processing time

The Treasury says about 70% of claims are paid within two weeks, on average.

Finder fees in Tennessee

A locator may charge no more than 10% of the value recovered or $50, whichever is greater. The contract must be written, signed by you, describe the property and services, and show the estimated amount before and after the fee. The Treasury must approve the contract, and locators must be licensed private investigators in Tennessee. Payment always goes directly to you.

Law: Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-29-176

Good to know

• The Treasury may mail a claim letter to your employer if the reporting company gave your Social Security number.
• Money is held indefinitely, and the online database covers all property back to the start of the program.
• Businesses turned over another $248.6 million between July 1, 2025 and March 2026.

Also check outside Tennessee

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 Tennessee

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