Unclaimed money lists are the most valuable tool to unclaimed money finders.
Most states offer a search of their database online, but they don’t give the valuable information that you need to work as a finder.
For example, if you were to do a search in California, you would have to enter a name and wait for the search engine to give you the results.
Let’s enter “Smith” as an example:
You can see that Smith being a common name offers over 200,000 results:
If you click on one of the tabs with an address, you will get more information, including the amount owed and where the money came from:
However, this is not the way you want to search for unclaimed funds as an unclaimed money finder!
Doing it this way (above), you’re entering a name and then hoping to get a positive search result. Then, if you do get a positive result, you have to see how much is coming to that person.
There is a much easier way!
Many states provide lists to finders that contain all of the information you need to start your searches.
Here is a screenshot of part of the list from California:
The names are whited out because when we originally made this page you needed to be registered in California to search as an unclaimed money finder there so we weren’t supposed to show this information. Now, you still need to register in order to act as an unclaimed money finder, but anyone can download the list for free.
As you can see, you get the names, the addresses, the property ID and most importantly, the dollar amounts!
Now that you have everything you need, you can start your search the right way!
When you get the list from California you can sort it a variety of ways including by dollar amount.
You can get more information on becoming a California unclaimed money finder here.
Here is a screenshot taken from Ohio’s unclaimed money finder list:
Again, I had to white out the names as you have to registered as a finder in Ohio to work with the list, but I wanted to give you an idea of what is available on these lists.
You can get more information on becoming an Ohio unclaimed money finder here.
Not every state charges for their list. Alaska charges $25 for their list but offers it as a free download on their site.
Here is a screenshot of the list from Alaska:
Alaska may be far away, but it is the same price for a stamp to send someone a letter letting them know they have unclaimed money coming to them as it would be for any other state.
You can get more information on becoming an unclaimed money finder in Alaska here.
It’s not just states that let you find unclaimed money for a fee.
There are many counties holding unclaimed money that let you search for their owner for a fee.
Here is a screenshot from the Franklin County Auditor in Ohio:
Franklin County, as most counties with lists, do not charge for them. They also have certain rules that you have to follow but they usually don’t have limits on the fee you can charge (as opposed to most states).
Click here to see a refund example in Franklin County.
The below table can be very helpful. It contains information on the fees you can charge as an unclaimed money finder in a particular state, whether you need to be a private investigator or not, and the cost of the list used in your searches.
As I mention in the Guide , rules do change occasionally, so it is in your best interest to contact the state(s) you want to search in to make sure you have the most up to date information.
Use the “Previous” and “Next” arrows at the bottom of the table to go through the states.
| State | Do you provide owner data to asset locaters? | Maximum fee amount (or NA) | Private investigat or and/or other licensure required? | Type of Media provided | Cost of Media | What data is kept confidential from the asset locater? | What is the period of time that owner data is kept protected? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No | 10% | No | 24 months | |||
| Alaska | Yes | 10% & 20% | No | Online | Free | SSN | 24 months |
| Arizona | No | 30% | Yes | N/A | N/A | All until a claim is filed and they produce a valid POA | Indefinitely |
| Arkansas | Yes | 10% | No | online and list review in office | $250 | Once it's with the State Controllers Office you can claim it | |
| California | Yes | 10% | No | Online | Free | SSN and Account No. | N/A |
| Colorado | Yes | 10% | No | CD | $305 | SSN | 24 mos |
| Connecticut | No | 10% | No | N/A | N/A | SSN | 24 months |
| Delaware | No | 10% or $1000, whichever is les | No | N/A | N/A | SSN | 24 months |
| Florida | Yes | 20% | Yes | Social Security Number and Property Identifier | N/A | ||
| Georgia | Yes | 10 Percent | No | CD | $50 | Owner Address, Property Description, Dollar Amt, SSN, | 24 Months |
| Hawaii | Yes | 10% | No | CD | NA | SSN | 24 months |
| Idaho | No | No Limit | No | none | n/a | owner address, property description, dollar amnt, SSN, etc | always |
| Illinois | No | 10% | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Indiana | Yes | 10% | No | cd; depends on extent of request | $3 | ssn | 24 mos |
| Iowa | Yes | 15% | Yes | CD | $25 | SSN | 24 months |
| Kansas | No | 15% | No | N/A | NA | N/A | N/A |
| Kentucky | Yes | 10% | No | Paper and CD | Ten cents per page | Dollar amount, SSN | 24 months |
| Louisiana | Yes | 10% | No | CD | $50 | SSN | 24 Months |
| Maine | Yes | No Limit | Yes | CD of PDF report | $75 | Amt, SSN | 24 |
| Maryland | Yes | No Limit | No | Paper List | Dollar Amount/SSN | indefinitely | |
| Massachusetts | Yes | N/A | CD | $10 | |||
| Michigan | Yes | N/A | No | CD | 2.5 cents per record up to 100,000; 0.5 cents per record over 100,000 | owner address and ss number | 24 months |
| Minnesota | Yes | 10% W/O AGREEMENT | Yes | 500/CD MN BOOKSTORE | SSN | 24 MONTHS | |
| Mississippi | 10% | ||||||
| Missouri | Yes | 20% | No | CD | $50 | No SSN, No dollar amount over $50 (excpet life insurance amounts) | N/A |
| Montana | No | 15% | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Nebraska | Yes | 10% | No | CD | $65 | address, SSN. property description, specific amount | 24 months |
| Nevada | Yes | 10% | No | CD | $20 per year | SSN | 24 months |
| New Hampshire | No | No Limit | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | Indefinitely |
| New Jersey | No | 20% | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| New Mexico | Yes | No Limit | No | paper list, CD | ssn, account # | ||
| New York | Yes | 15% | No | CD | $25 | Dollar amt, SSN | none |
| North Carolina | Yes | 20% (or $1000, whichever is less) | Yes | CD | $15 | SSN | 24 months |
| North Dakota | Yes | 10% | Yes | CD in PDF format | $150 for entire list | property value and SSN | none |
| Ohio | Yes | 10% | Yes | CD/DVD | $2.50 | SSN, Acct# limited to last 4 digits, FEIN | 24 months |
| Oklahoma | Yes | 25% of property value | No | CD | $25 CD | Only provide last known name and address | always except LKN & address |
| Oregon | Yes | No Limit | Yes | CD, paper | $150 per release year | SSN | 24 months |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | 15% | No | CD | $300 | SSN | 24 months |
| Rhode Island | No | N/A | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | 2 years |
| South Carolina | No | 15% | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| South Dakota | 25% | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Tennessee | Yes | 10% | Yes | $200 | SSN, HIPPA info | Property held 1 year from date advertised |
|
| Texas | No | 10% | Yes | CD, online | Depends on what is requested | SSN | SSN always |
| Utah | No | No Limit | No | N/A | NA | SSN, Acct #, $$ | 24 |
| Vermont | Yes | 10% | No | CD | $2.64 for CD | SSN, Account Numbers | 24 Months |
| Virginia | No | 10% | No | CD if request meets the criteria of FOIA | reasonable cost to produce as allowed under FOIA procedures | Everything except Name and City | indefinitely |
| Washington | Yes | 5% | No | paper list | cost of paper | SSN, owner names | N/A |
| Washington, D.C. | Yes | 10% | No | e mail/online | N/A | SSN, usually dollar amount | 12 months |
| West Virginia | Yes | No Limit | No | online | No fee | street address, desc, amount, ssn | Indefinitely |
| Wisconsin | Yes | 20% | No | CD | $150 | SSN | 12 |
| Wyoming | Yes | No Limit | No | CD | $1,000 | SSN | 2 yrs postescheat |
| Alberta | No | 10% | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| British Columbia | No | N/A | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Puerto Rico | No | N/A | No | N/A | N/A |
Is it possible to get a general contract from you that I would use between me and the customer to insure they pay me? Of course I would alter it for my state. And where do I find the claim forms to file for them?
Email me the contract please. Thanks.
Hi Mark,
How do I get a list in Florida? also, Do I need to have a private investigator license to help claim funds in Florida?
if so, is their another way to do it like getting an attorney to file the paperwork and having the attorney have the power of attorney?
also do I need to have a website?
if so, do you have an example of one to use?
You would need to contact the state directly. In Florida you need to be a private investigator, CPA, or attorney to search for unclaimed funds. Yes, you can partner with an attorney, cpa, or PI, and use their forms. That is a great idea and I mention it often. In return for partnering with them, they can share in the commissions.
It is definitely helpful to have a website to show that you are legitimate and for someone to look you up.
Here is an example of a website we offer at a very reasonable price:
https://mymoneyfindersite.com/
What are some of the better states to do this business in. Does it really matter? Thanks.
AK, AR, CA, CO, IN, LA, MA, NV, OH, PA, WI are all good off the top of my head
What all states offer a comprehensive list? TIA!
Please take a look at https://moneyfinderbiz.com/unclaimed-money-finder-lists/
where can or how can i buy the New York state list? Please help, thanks.
You can request it from NYS here:
https://www.osc.state.ny.us/unclaimed-funds/resources/owner-name-file-request-form
NYS is a crapshoot as they do not give you the dollar amounts on their list.
Does the DVD/CD ROM cover asset received recently up till 2019, I presume the list is obsolete considering it was dated back to 2015.
I’m not sure what list you are referring to but the states update them on a scheduled basis.
No I have checked this before no money!
First of all, I recently purchased your guide. Thanks for all the great info!
I’m curious as to know how county rules differ from state rules. The county I live in (and would like to focus on) posts a detailed list every so often, but does not appear to have any rules when it comes to money finders regarding fees, length of time passed, etc. I am located in Ohio.
My questions are:
1. Are county lists different from state lists? I try to cross-search names on the county list on the state list (missingmoney.com), but nothing matching comes up. I also searched my own name, and found VERY OLD funds on the state list, but nothing on the county list. This leads me to assume that the county will often hold onto funds, and eventually pass them on to the state level?
2. What would you recommend in a situation like this when it comes to rules? Would you follow state rules in lieu of county rules?
First off, thank you for your purchase.
Some counties in Ohio do have their own rules.
An example would be Franklin County. Franklin County used to post their rules for finders online, but they do not anymore.
The best thing to do is contact the county directly and ask them.
I’ve officially became a registered investigator with California yah. I’ve noticed a mass amount of proceeds due to beneficiaries. Have you handled any claims like this or just individuals? I notice many businesses and companies too. Is there a particular way to approach them?
I am wondering also. How long did it take you Tia to get your paperwork done for the investigator? I haven’t started yet because I have to file with my county clerk on a fictitious name and with covid19 it will take 6-8 weeks before I hear back from them. I am looking into this now.
How easy is the process? Is there any special requirements in 2020
Miguel,
I think that question is subjective but I feel this is a very easy business to start and to work. There is not a big cash investment needed, you can start small (part time whenever you want) or full time, and the Guide spells everything out for you.
Every state as there own requirements, but they stay pretty consistent, and most are not difficult to get started in.
Mark or antone. I dont have a license vut have located MANY funds. If u are REGISTERED. We can work together on
found clints.
Will I need to hire attorneys to ensure that I get paid with this program given that many counties and states give the money to the claimant?
Most people are happy that they actually got their money and there are no issues. Like any business, if someone does work for you, they expect to get paid.
As long as you have a signed contract with you, they are legally bound to pay you.
When the check comes back, does it come to the finder or the property owner first,?
Do I have to be a resident in the state in which I am helping people find unclaimed money? Also, can I reside in Texas which requires being a private investigator and do business with residents of states that do not require you to be a private investigator?
Frances,
No, you do not need to reside in the state you are searching in. For example, we were in New York for many years (recently moved), but we did not search in NY unless someone asked us to (usually someone we knew and we were doing them a favor). The reason we didn’t search in NY is because they don’t give the dollar amounts on their list so you don’t know how much money is being held.
Yes, if you live in Texas you can search in states that do not require you to be a PI.
May I purchase your book in hard copy form? If so what would be the difference in cost?
Murray,
It’s only sold as a download, but you can always print it up, or save it on a USB drive and take it to Staples or somewhere similar for them to print. It would be way too expensive to offer in hard copy form and this helps to keep the price down.
a guy online name not mentioned wants to charge one thousand i have 30 days to get my money back and i will….
and curious it looks like in ohio what are the rules
Where are you getting certified to do this? Like where would I go in nh
Please go here for information on NH:
https://moneyfinderbiz.com/new-hampshire/