Unclaimed money in Texas: how to find and claim it

How to claim in Texas

1. Search your last name (or business name) and first name on ClaimItTexas.gov. If you got a notice in the mail, you can type in the Property ID instead.

2. Click CLAIM on each property that is yours, then file the claim online. Give your current mailing address, an email address, and your relationship to the owner for each property.

3. Submit the claim and save your Claim ID. If documents are needed, your confirmation email or letter lists them.

4. Upload your documents through the secure online portal, or mail them to the Claims Section in Austin. Send copies, not originals, unless originals are requested (then use certified mail).

5. Check your claim status online with your Claim ID. If you cannot answer a request within 30 days, the claim is reactivated when you send the documents.

State law (Tex. Prop. Code § 74.503) lets the Comptroller pay a reported owner directly, with no claim, when the property is worth less than $5,000 and the office reasonably believes the person is entitled to it. We found no official page on how often this is used. When you do file a claim, the minimum the state asks for is the signed claim form and a photo ID.

Official instructions for claims

Documents you may need

• The signed claim form
• A copy of your photo ID
• Any other proof listed on the claim form attachment; the Comptroller may ask for more (it offers an online interactive tool to see what it may request)

Money owed to a relative who died

Heirs can claim under a will accepted into probate, through an executor with current letters testamentary, through a court-appointed administrator, or with a judge's determination-of-heirship order. If a valid will was never probated, the people named in it may still claim if the amount is under $10,000 and they are the same people who would inherit without a will. For a claim of $10,000 or less with no probate, ClaimItTexas provides an Affidavit of Heirship form.

Contact the program

Program

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Unclaimed Property Division

Phone

800-321-2274

Claims by mail

Comptroller of Public Accounts, Unclaimed Property Claims Section, P.O. Box 12046, Austin, TX 78711-2046

Finder fees in Texas

A finder may not charge more than 10% of the value recovered (plus reasonable attorney's fees needed to pursue the claim), and the Comptroller says this includes all expenses. The agreement must be signed by you, describe the property and services, and show the expected amount before and after the fee. A finder paid a percentage may not file the claim form for you, and heir finders must be licensed by the Texas DPS Private Security Bureau. No waiting period was found in the statute.

Law: Tex. Prop. Code § 74.507

Good to know

• There is generally no time limit to claim: Texas holds the property indefinitely.
• Stock may be sold as soon as the state receives it; if it has not been sold yet when your claim is approved, shares are returned electronically.
• Safe deposit box items are usually auctioned on GovDeals after about a year, but the auction money stays yours to claim; payments are by paper check only, no direct deposit.

Also check outside Texas

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 Texas

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