The Unclaimed Money Handbook
Nine official searches, one afternoon, and the paperwork that actually works. 86-page PDF. All fifty states and the District of Columbia, with each office's current page checked against the agency's own site.
What you are buying
New in the edition of October 27, 2026
Every Tuesday the handbook gets a new first chapter from official sources: the FTC refund programs paying out now (when one is open), recalls with money back from the last 30 days (12), and a tip of the week. Every link in the book is re-tested the same day.
Tip of the week: Search every state you have ever lived in, not only where you live now. Unclaimed money goes to the state of the last known address, which is often a state you left years ago. Official page.
What is in it
- The nine official searches, in the order that finds money fastest
- All fifty states and DC, each with the office's current official page
- The name variations that actually turn money up: maiden names, misspellings, initials
- What each agency asks you to send, and how long it takes to be paid
- Claiming on behalf of a relative who has died
- What to do when a claim is refused
- The legal ceilings on what a finder may charge, and why you never need one
Honest about the money
Most people find tens, not thousands.
NAUPA's own reporting puts the average claim paid at $1,780 and the median at $144.30. That gap is the whole story. A small number of large claims pull the average up; the typical person finds far less. This handbook is worth an afternoon. It is not a retirement plan, and anybody telling you otherwise is selling something.
No invented stories.
There are no case studies in this book, no composite characters and no testimonials. Where it gives a number, it names the source in the same sentence. Where a number could not be traced to an official source, it was left out.
Questions people ask
How much unclaimed money does the average person find?
NAUPA's own reporting puts the average claim paid at $1,780 and the median at $144.30. A few large claims pull the average up, so most people find tens of dollars, not thousands.
Is it free to search for unclaimed money?
Yes. Every official search is free. The Unclaimed Money Handbook ($9, instant PDF) is a guide to the nine official searches, all fifty states and the paperwork. It is not a fee to search.
Should I pay a finder a percentage to get my money back?
No. You never need a finder. The handbook explains the legal ceilings on what a finder may charge, and why a letter that asks for a fee first is the signal to stop and search yourself.
Can I claim unclaimed money for a relative who has died?
Often yes. Heirs can usually claim what was left behind. The handbook shows how to claim on behalf of a relative who has died and what each agency asks you to send.
What do I get with the Unclaimed Money Handbook?
The nine official U.S. government searches in the order that finds money fastest, every state office with its current official page (all fifty states and DC), the name variations that turn money up, and what to do when a claim is refused. Buyers get new editions at no extra cost.
Search free first
Not ready to buy? Start with the free official searches. Nine free U.S. government searches, or go straight to your state's office:
Unclaimed money in Michigan · Unclaimed money in Illinois · Unclaimed money in California · Unclaimed money in Texas · Unclaimed money in Florida · Unclaimed money in New York · Unclaimed money in North Carolina · Unclaimed money in Ohio · all fifty states
Unclaimed money in Alabama · Unclaimed money in Alaska · Unclaimed money in Arizona · Unclaimed money in Arkansas · Unclaimed money in Colorado · Unclaimed money in Connecticut · Unclaimed money in Delaware · Unclaimed money in District of Columbia · Unclaimed money in Georgia · Unclaimed money in Hawaii · Unclaimed money in Idaho · Unclaimed money in Indiana · Unclaimed money in Iowa · Unclaimed money in Kansas · Unclaimed money in Kentucky · Unclaimed money in Louisiana · Unclaimed money in Maine · Unclaimed money in Maryland · Unclaimed money in Massachusetts · Unclaimed money in Minnesota · Unclaimed money in Mississippi · Unclaimed money in Missouri · Unclaimed money in Montana · Unclaimed money in Nebraska · Unclaimed money in Nevada · Unclaimed money in New Hampshire · Unclaimed money in New Jersey · Unclaimed money in New Mexico · Unclaimed money in North Dakota · Unclaimed money in Oklahoma · Unclaimed money in Oregon · Unclaimed money in Pennsylvania · Unclaimed money in Rhode Island · Unclaimed money in South Carolina · Unclaimed money in South Dakota · Unclaimed money in Tennessee · Unclaimed money in Utah · Unclaimed money in Vermont · Unclaimed money in Virginia · Unclaimed money in Washington · Unclaimed money in West Virginia · Unclaimed money in Wisconsin · Unclaimed money in Wyoming
Read a chapter first
“The name trick” is the chapter where most people find their money: maiden names, misspellings, initials and old addresses. It is yours, free, no email needed.
Get the handbook
$9. Instant PDF download, straight after payment. No account, no subscription. When the handbook is updated — and it will be, because state offices move their pages — you get the new edition at no extra cost.
If it does not help you, write to [email protected] and we refund it. No questions.
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