Unclaimed money in Vermont: how to find and claim it

How to claim in Vermont

1. Search your name, or your town, on the state's free database (MissingMoney.Vermont.gov). Check that the address and the business that reported it make sense for you.

2. If the property is under $200 and you are the original owner, you can usually file online without mailing any papers. Once approved, your payment is mailed within two business days.

3. For bigger claims, or if you would rather use paper, print the claim form (or ask the office to mail you one), fill it in and attach copies of your proof.

4. Sign the form. If the claim is over $200, you must sign it in front of a notary.

5. Mail it to the Unclaimed Property Division in Montpelier. Keep your claim ID so you can check the status online or by phone.

Original owners can file online claims under $200, usually without mailing documents; once approved, payment is mailed within two business days. In December 2024 the state also launched MoneyBack, which mailed checks of $100 to $500 automatically to people whose identity and address the Tax Department could verify. The Treasurer intends to repeat it every year.

Official instructions for claims

Documents you may need

• Copy of current photo ID (driver's license front and back, passport, non-driver ID or other government ID)
• Proof you lived at the address the business reported (or, if no address is listed, proof of your link to that business)
• Proof of your Social Security number, such as an SS card, W-2 or 1099 (tax returns are not accepted)
• Court papers if your name changed (marriage or divorce certificate, or court order)
• Notarized signature on claims over $200

Money owed to a relative who died

Send a copy of the certified death certificate and the obituary, plus proof of the owner's SSN and reported address; claims over $1,000 need an original certified death certificate. Claims over $5,000 require an open probate estate (send the certificate of appointment and the estate's tax ID); for closed estates under $5,000 send the certified decree of distribution, as wills are not accepted.

Contact the program

Program

Vermont Office of the State Treasurer, Unclaimed Property Division

Phone

(802) 828-2407; toll-free in Vermont only (800) 642-3191

Claims by mail

Unclaimed Property Division, Office of the State Treasurer, 109 State Street, 4th Floor, Montpelier, VT 05609-6200

Processing time

Approved online claims under $200 are mailed within two business days. Paper claims under $200 from the original owner go through an express service, processed within five business days of receiving a complete form. The state gives no general time frame for larger claims.

Finder fees in Vermont

A finder (asset locator or heir finder) cannot charge more than 10% of the property's value; an agreement for more is unenforceable. Any finder agreement signed from the day the property is turned over to the Treasurer until 24 months after that is void. The agreement must be in writing, describe the property and services, and state the value before and after the fee. The state always pays you directly, never the finder.

Law: 27 V.S.A. §§ 1601-1602

Good to know

• Vermont holds unclaimed property forever: you never lose your right to claim it.
• Fiscal 2025 set records: $9.9 million returned on 31,593 claims, and over $24 million turned over to the state.
• Finders working in Vermont must post a performance bond of at least $10,000 and file a notarized 'Notice to Claimant' form with any claim.

Also check outside Vermont

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 Vermont

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