New York Unclaimed Funds: How to Search and Claim (Free)
Held by the state
Average claim
Cost to claim
New York is holding about $19.0 billion in unclaimed funds as of July 2026. You can search your name and claim it for free at ouf.osc.state.ny.us, the official New York State Comptroller, Office of Unclaimed Funds site. A simple claim in your own name takes about 10 minutes and costs nothing.
New York: don’t miss
- City and County Unclaimed Money: The Local Lists the State Never Shows — Cities and counties hold their own unclaimed money — uncashed vendor and payroll checks and property-tax refunds — that never reaches the state database. Here's how to check both, with verified official links for NYC, San Diego, Los Angeles County, and Cook County.
How to search New York’s unclaimed funds for free
The only site you need is ouf.osc.state.ny.us, run by the New York State Comptroller, Office of Unclaimed Funds. 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. New York lists funds under old mailing addresses, so search broadly and check every result that could be you before you file.
Important: New York does not report to MissingMoney.com, the national search site. A national search will miss your New York money entirely — you have to search ouf.osc.state.ny.us directly. See our guide to MissingMoney.com for the full list of states it misses.
The New York State Comptroller, Office of Unclaimed Funds
New York’s unclaimed funds is held by the New York State Comptroller, Office of Unclaimed Funds. 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.
New York's Office of Unclaimed Funds, run by the State Comptroller, holds one of the largest pots in the country. New York does NOT report to MissingMoney.com, so a national search misses it. A quirk many people trip on: for claims over $1,000, New York often makes you print, sign, and mail the claim form rather than finishing entirely online.
What’s specific to New York
- New York is NOT on MissingMoney.com — search ouf.osc.state.ny.us directly.
- Claims over $1,000 usually require a printed, signed, mailed form.
- New York pays simple claims quickly — many small claims arrive in about two weeks.
How to claim in New York
You can do this yourself in about 10 minutes, free. Here is exactly how, step by step.
Search the Office of Unclaimed Funds
Search your name at ouf.osc.state.ny.us. Include maiden names and prior New York addresses.
Select your funds
Add each matching item to a claim. The site shows the reported name and a partial address to help you confirm.
Answer the identity questions
Confirm your address history and Social Security number. There is no charge to file.
Print and mail if the claim is over $1,000
For larger claims, New York generates a form you must print, sign, and mail with a copy of your ID. Smaller claims can finish online.
Get paid
New York pays approved claims by check. Small online claims can arrive in about two weeks; mailed claims take longer.
Claiming for a deceased relative in New York
You can claim funds that belonged to a relative who died, but New York 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 New York accepts.
Dormancy periods in New York
“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 | 3 years |
| Uncashed wages | 3 years |
| Utility deposits | 2 years |
| Insurance proceeds | 3 years |
| Stocks and dividends | 3 years |
| Court and estate funds | 3 years |
New York 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.
New York caps what a finder can charge at 15%, under N.Y. Aband. Prop. Law §1416. If a letter asks for more, or asks for money up front, treat it as a red flag.
New York unclaimed funds: common questions
Yes. ouf.osc.state.ny.us is run by the New York State Comptroller. It is free to search and claim. New York is not on MissingMoney.com, so this is the only official place to search.
Yes. 'Found money' is unclaimed funds the state is holding — old accounts, uncashed checks, and refunds. In New York it is free to search and claim at ouf.osc.state.ny.us. Because New York is not on MissingMoney.com, that Comptroller site is the only official place to look.
New York does not report to the national database. You must search the State Comptroller's site directly at ouf.osc.state.ny.us.
Small claims filed fully online can be paid in as little as two weeks. Claims over $1,000 that require a mailed form take several weeks longer.
No. Filing is free. Under N.Y. Aband. Prop. Law §1416 a finder's fee is capped at 15%, but you never need a finder for a claim in your own name.
Yes, as an heir or estate representative, with a death certificate and proof of your authority. See our deceased-relative guide.
Unclaimed funds 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.