Colorado Unclaimed Property: How to Search and Claim (Free)
Held by the state
Average claim
Cost to claim
Colorado is holding about $2.3 billion in unclaimed property as of July 2026. You can search your name and claim it for free at unclaimedproperty.colorado.gov, the official Colorado Department of the Treasury (Great Colorado Payback) site. A simple claim in your own name takes about 10 minutes and costs nothing.
How to search Colorado’s unclaimed property for free
The only site you need is unclaimedproperty.colorado.gov, run by the Colorado Department of the Treasury (Great Colorado Payback). Searching is free, and so is filing your claim. You never pay the state to get your own money, and you never need to hand over money to see what is waiting for you.
Search your last name first, then try maiden names, nicknames, and any business you owned. Colorado lists property under old mailing addresses, so search broadly and check every result that could be you before you file.
The Colorado Department of the Treasury (Great Colorado Payback)
Colorado’s unclaimed property is held by the Colorado Department of the Treasury (Great Colorado Payback). When a bank, employer, or insurer loses touch with you for the state’s dormancy period, it must turn your money over to this office, which then holds it for you to claim.
Colorado's program is run by the State Treasury and branded 'The Great Colorado Payback.' It reports to MissingMoney.com. Colorado is one of the friendliest states for online claims — a large share of single-owner cash claims are approved instantly when your address matches the record, with no documents to mail.
What’s specific to Colorado
- Branded 'The Great Colorado Payback.'
- Many matching cash claims are approved instantly online with no paperwork.
- Colorado runs a searchable booth at the State Fair each year.
How to claim in Colorado
You can do this yourself in about 10 minutes, free. Here is exactly how, step by step.
Search unclaimedproperty.colorado.gov
Go to the Great Colorado Payback site run by the State Treasury and search your name, maiden names, and any business you owned.
Add your matching property to a claim
Select each result that is yours and start a claim. Colorado also reports to MissingMoney.com.
Verify your identity
Enter your address and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Many single-owner cash claims are approved instantly online when your address matches, with nothing to mail.
Upload documents only if asked
If the match is not automatic, attach a government ID and any proof the site requests. There is no fee at any step.
Get paid
Colorado pays approved claims by check or deposit. Instant-match cash claims move fastest; securities, estates, and multi-owner claims take longer.
Claiming for a deceased relative in Colorado
You can claim property that belonged to a relative who died, but Colorado will ask for more than a simple claim needs. Expect to provide a certified death certificate and proof that you are entitled to the estate — a will, letters testamentary, or a small-estate affidavit, depending on the amount.
Here’s the honest part: heir claims take longer than claims in your own name, sometimes several months, because the state verifies the chain of inheritance. If several heirs exist, each may need to sign. Our guide on claiming unclaimed money from deceased relatives walks through exactly which documents Colorado accepts.
Dormancy periods in Colorado
“Dormancy” is how long an account can sit untouched before the holder must report it to the state. It varies by property type:
| Property type | Dormancy period |
|---|---|
| Bank accounts | 5 years |
| Uncashed wages | 1 year |
| Utility deposits | 1 year |
| Insurance proceeds | 3 years |
| Stocks and dividends | 3 years |
| Money orders | 5 years |
Colorado finder-fee cap
You do not need a finder. A finder is a company that offers to recover your money for a cut. Their letters are not a scam, but they are unnecessary — the same claim is free if you file it yourself.
Colorado caps what a finder can charge at 10%, under Colo. Rev. Stat. §38-13-1301. If a letter asks for more, or asks for money up front, treat it as a red flag.
Colorado unclaimed property: common questions
Yes. It is the official site of the Colorado Department of the Treasury, known as The Great Colorado Payback. Searching and claiming are free, and Colorado also reports to MissingMoney.com.
Yes. 'Found money' is unclaimed property the State Treasury holds for you through The Great Colorado Payback. It is free to search and claim at unclaimedproperty.colorado.gov, and Colorado reports to MissingMoney.com.
Go to unclaimedproperty.colorado.gov and search your name. Searching and claiming are both free through the Treasury.
Matching single-owner cash claims are often approved instantly online. Claims with securities, estates, or multiple owners take longer.
Colorado caps finder's fees at 10% under Colo. Rev. Stat. §38-13-1301. You never need a finder for a claim in your own name.
Yes, as an heir, with a death certificate and estate documents. See our deceased-relative guide.
Unclaimed property in nearby states
See all state guides, or read how to find unclaimed money in your name for free across every state and federal source.