Florida Unclaimed Property & County Surplus Funds

When a bank, utility provider, insurance company, or corporation owes you money or other property and loses track of you, they cannot simply keep what is owed to you. By Florida law, if the institutions cannot re-establish contact with you after a set period of account inactivity (usually five years), they are required to send those funds to the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS).

Common examples include forgotten bank accounts, uncashed payroll checks, stock dividends, insurance payouts, and utility or security deposits.

State-held unclaimed property has no statute of limitations. The state holds these funds in safekeeping indefinitely. Whether it takes five months or fifteen years, you or your legal heirs always maintain the right to claim the money.

County Tax Deed Surplus Funds accumulate when real estate is sold at a tax deed auction for more than what was owed in back taxes.  Soon after the auction, the County Clerk sends a formal "Notice of Tax Deed Sale Surplus" via certified mail to all parties listed on the property information report (such as former owners, heirs, and lienholders).

•  The mailing date opens a 120-day window. During that 120-day window any lienholder (ie. creditor, mortgage company, HOA, or contractor) must file a formal claim with the Clerk of Court to be paid from the surplus. After that 120-day period any remaining funds are due ONLY to the former owner of record.

• If a former property owner does not claim their money within that first year, owner's surplus  funds are transfered directly to Florida's Unclaimed Property database.

County Foreclosure Surplus Funds accumulate when real estate is sold at a foreclosure auction for more than what was owed on the mortgage. After the sale, the Clerk of the Court must hold the case open for a 10-day objection period before issuing the title and filing the disbursements paperwork.  

• The date the County Clerk send the Certificate of Disbursements opens a 60-day window. During that 60-day window any lienholder (ie. creditor, mortgage company, HOA, or contractors) must file a formal claim with the Clerk of Court to be paid from the surplus. After that 60-day period any remaining funds are due ONLY to the former owner of record.

• If a former property owner does not claim their money within that first year, owner's surplus  funds are transfered directly to Florida's Unclaimed Property database.

Navigating state & county bureaucracy can be overwhelming—especially for complex corporate accounts, dissolved businesses, or high-value claims. We handle the heavy lifting for you:

• Comprehensive Search: Our firm conducts deep-dive asset research utilizing national property databases and public registries to locate hidden or unrecovered Florida-based assets linked to your name, historical addresses, or former entities.

• Verification & Paperwork: We identify the exact proofs the state or county requires—such as historical corporate filings or tax documentation—to conclusively prove ownership.

• Seamless Submission: We prepare and file official claim packages correctly the first time, preventing administrative delays, extra paperwork requests, or rejections.

• Direct Payout: Once the state or conty validates the claim, the recovered funds are securely and directly distributed to you