Colorado · Unclaimed property · Updated Oct 2026
Colorado Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division holds money that businesses could not return to its owners. Here is how to search, what proof you need and how long it takes.
Search Colorado's official list of unclaimed property by name.
Search in ColoradoSearch your name or business name on the official Great Colorado Payback site. Try past names and past ZIP codes too.
Click "Claim" on each property that is yours, then continue to file the claim online.
Enter your current mailing address. The check will be mailed there.
If the state asks for documents, upload them through the secure link or mail them to the Payback office in Denver.
Some claims need no extra paperwork. In that case, expect a check in the mail within a few weeks.
Track your claim online with your claim number.
Yes. Some claims are approved without extra paperwork, and the state also mails checks on its own to owners it has already verified. In April to October 2026 it planned to mail more than 123,000 such checks; if you get one, just cash it.
Pick "Heir" or "Representative" as your relationship to the owner when you file; the state will ask for proof of heirship and a notarized signature. Money from a probated estate (the state's Estates of Deceased Owners list) is different: you must petition the probate court in the county where the estate was probated. Note: 21 years after an estate is probated and its money is sent to the Treasury, that estate money becomes state property.
A finder agreement signed within 24 months after the property was turned over to the state is void. After that, a finder can charge at most 10% of the property. The agreement must be in writing, signed by you, describe the property and services, show the amount before and after the fee, and say you can claim directly from the state for free. The state pays only you, never the finder. If a fee is above the cap, you (or the Treasurer for you) can sue in Denver District Court to cut it.
Law: C.R.S. §§ 38-13-1301 and 38-13-1302; Treasury rule 8 CCR 1508-1, Rule 1.5.11 (10% cap)
Watch out: Real letters come from the Colorado Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division in Denver, and real checks come from the Office of the State Controller; searching and claiming is always free.
Search every other state where you lived or worked. Some money, like old savings bonds and IRS refunds, is held by federal agencies.
Money that businesses could not return to you and had to hand over to a state, such as old bank accounts and insurance policies. USA.gov says state governments hold most unclaimed money.
Official siteOld paper or electronic U.S. savings bonds that were never cashed, including bonds that have matured and stopped earning interest (EE and I bonds earn interest for up to 30 years), plus lost, stolen or destroyed bonds.
Official siteTax refunds owed to people who never filed a federal tax return for a year, often because they earned little and were not required to file. The IRS says taxpayers usually have three years to file and claim a refund; after that the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury.
Official siteSearch the official database run by the Colorado Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division. Searching is free. Search every name you have used and every address where you lived in Colorado.
No. The state does not charge a fee to claim. A finder agreement signed within 24 months after the property was turned over to the state is void. After that, a finder can charge at most 10% of the property. The agreement must be in writing, signed by you, describe the property and services, show the amount before and after the fee, and say you can claim directly from the state for free. The state pays only you, never the finder. If a fee is above the cap, you (or the Treasurer for you) can sue in Denver District Court to cut it.
Pick "Heir" or "Representative" as your relationship to the owner when you file; the state will ask for proof of heirship and a notarized signature. Money from a probated estate (the state's Estates of Deceased Owners list) is different: you must petition the probate court in the county where the estate was probated. Note: 21 years after an estate is probated and its money is sent to the Treasury, that estate money becomes state property.
The Treasury says the average claim takes about 10 days to process after verification, well under the 90 days the law allows. Claims with no extra paperwork are paid by check within a few weeks.
Last checked: Oct 2026.