If a business, government office, or other source owes you money that you don’t collect, it's considered unclaimed.

The  federal government doesn’t have a central website for finding unclaimed  money. But you don’t need to hire a company to find unclaimed money for  you. You can find it on your own for free, using official databases.

Businesses  send money to state-run unclaimed property offices when they can’t  locate the owner. The money in state unclaimed funds is often from bank  accounts, insurance policies, or your state government.

• Start your search for unclaimed money with your state’s unclaimed property office.
• Use the multi-state database to search for your name, especially if you’ve moved to another state.
• Verify how to claim your money. Each state has its own rules about how you prove that you’re the owner and claim the money.

• Unpaid  Wages – The Department of Labor (DOL) may recover back wages for you if  your employer broke labor laws. If you think you may be owed back wages  from your employer:
  
  • Search DOL’s database of workers who have money waiting to be claimed. DOL holds unpaid wages for up to three years.  
• Pensions from Former Employers – Search for unclaimed pensions from companies that went out of business or ended a defined plan.

• VA Life Insurance Funds – Search the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) database for unclaimed insurance funds.
  
  • The VA may owe money to current or former policyholders or their beneficiaries.
  • This  database doesn’t include funds from Servicemembers’ Group Life  Insurance (SGLI) or Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI) policies from  1965 to the present. 
• FHA-Insurance Refunds – If you had an FHA-insured mortgage, you may be eligible for a refund  from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
  
  • Search the HUD database with your FHA case number (three digits, a dash, and the next six digits—for example, 051-456789).

• Tax Refunds – The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may owe you money if your refund was unclaimed or undelivered.

• Bank Failures – Search the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) for unclaimed funds from failed financial institutions.
• Credit Union Failures – Find unclaimed deposits from credit unions.
• SEC Claims Funds – The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lists enforcement cases in which a company or person owes investors money.
• Replace a Savings Bond – Replace a lost, stolen, or destroyed paper savings bond.

• Foreign Claims – U.S. nationals can find money owed to them from foreign governments after the loss of property.

Every year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has millions of dollars in tax refunds that go undelivered or unclaimed. 

Refund  checks are mailed to your last known address. If you move without  notifying the IRS or the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), your refund check  may be returned to the IRS.

If you were expecting a federal tax refund and did not receive it, check the IRS' Where’s My Refund page. You'll need to enter your Social Security number, filing status,  and the exact whole dollar amount of your refund. You may be prompted to  change your address online. 

You can also call the IRS to check on the status of your refund. Wait times to speak with a  representative can be long. But you can avoid the wait by using the  automated phone system. Follow the message prompts when you call.

If you move, submit a Change of Address - Form 8822 (PDF, Download Adobe Reader) to the IRS; you should also submit a Change of Address to the USPS.

If you  are eligible for a federal tax refund and do not file a return, then  your refund will go unclaimed. Even if you aren't required to file a  return, it might benefit you to file if:

• Federal taxes were withheld from your pay

and/or

• You qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)

If you  didn't file a tax return because your wages were below the filing  requirement, you can still file a return within three years of the  filing deadline in order to get your refund. 

For information about your state tax refund check, contact your state revenue department.