Connecticut Unclaimed Property: How to Search and Claim (Free)
Held by the state
Average claim
Cost to claim
Connecticut is holding about $1.7 billion in unclaimed property as of July 2026. You can search your name and claim it for free at CTBigList.gov, the official Connecticut Office of the State Treasurer, Unclaimed Property Division site. A simple claim in your own name takes about 10 minutes and costs nothing.
How to search Connecticut’s unclaimed property for free
The only site you need is CTBigList.gov, run by the Connecticut Office of the State Treasurer, Unclaimed Property Division. 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. Connecticut lists property under old mailing addresses, so search broadly and check every result that could be you before you file.
The Connecticut Office of the State Treasurer, Unclaimed Property Division
Connecticut’s unclaimed property is held by the Connecticut Office of the State Treasurer, Unclaimed Property Division. 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.
Connecticut's Unclaimed Property program is run by the Office of the State Treasurer, and the official list is published at CTBigList.gov. As of June 30, 2025 the list held about $1.7 billion for 11.3 million owners, and in fiscal year 2025 the office returned a record $120.9 million to nearly 60,000 people. Some records go back to the 1940s. There is no time limit to claim, and property is returned at no cost once you prove ownership.
What’s specific to Connecticut
- The official site is branded 'the CT Big List' at CTBigList.gov, run by the State Treasurer.
- As of June 30, 2025 the list held about $1.7 billion for 11.3 million owners — some records date to the 1940s.
- FY2025 set a record: $120.9 million returned to nearly 60,000 owners, topping $100 million for the first time.
- Connecticut caps finder fees at 10% and voids any finder agreement for the first two years after property is reported.
How to claim in Connecticut
You can do this yourself in about 10 minutes, free. Here is exactly how, step by step.
Search CTBigList.gov
Go to CTBigList.gov, the official Connecticut list, and search your last name. Try maiden names and any business you ran. Searching is free.
Add every match to your claim
Open each result that could be you and add it. The list is huge — over 10 million entries — so check old addresses and name spellings.
Prove who you are
Provide your address and Social Security number so the Treasurer's office can match you to the property. You never pay to claim.
Submit your documents
Upload a government ID and any proof the site lists. Estate and business claims may need notarized paperwork.
Receive your money
Once ownership is confirmed, Connecticut returns the property at no cost. Simple cash claims are the fastest to pay.
Claiming for a deceased relative in Connecticut
You can claim property that belonged to a relative who died, but Connecticut 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 Connecticut accepts.
Dormancy periods in Connecticut
“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 |
|---|---|
| Uncashed paychecks / wages | 1 year |
| Bank accounts (checking/savings) | 3 years |
| Utility deposits | 1 year |
| Insurance proceeds | 3 years |
| Stocks / securities | 3 years |
| Money orders | 7 years |
Connecticut 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.
Connecticut caps what a finder can charge at 10%, under Conn. Gen. Stat. §3-70a. If a letter asks for more, or asks for money up front, treat it as a red flag.
Connecticut unclaimed property: common questions
Yes. CTBigList.gov is the official unclaimed property site of the Connecticut Office of the State Treasurer. Searching and claiming are free. If a site asks you to pay a fee just to see your money, it is not the state.
Straightforward cash claims are usually paid within a few weeks to a couple of months after the Treasurer's office verifies your identity. Claims for securities or a deceased owner take longer because more documents are reviewed.
Yes. 'Found money' is unclaimed property — old paychecks, deposits, and refunds the state Treasurer is holding for you on the CT Big List. You can search and claim it yourself for free at CTBigList.gov, with no finder and no fee.
Connecticut caps finder fees at 10% and bars any finder agreement for the first two years after property is reported, under Conn. Gen. Stat. §3-70a. You never need a finder — the same claim is free at CTBigList.gov.
Yes, as an heir. There is no time limit in Connecticut. You will provide a death certificate and proof you are entitled to the estate. See our guide on claiming for a deceased relative.
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.