CALIFORNIA — October 29, 2026. Forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance proceeds and old utility deposits may be held by state unclaimed-property programs. The U.S. financial-information website TaxesTime has introduced a free Claim Your Property guide intended to help Americans find the appropriate government program to search for money that may belong to them.
Why check for forgotten money?
When businesses cannot contact a rightful owner for a legally specified period, they may be required to transfer qualifying property to a state administrator for safekeeping. California’s State Controller lists bank balances, uncashed checks, insurance proceeds, wages, investments and deposits among common examples. The government—not TaxesTime—determines whether an applicant has a valid claim.
The site’s founder, Vitaly Ataev-Troshin, says his own experience of discovering an unexpected unclaimed payment helped inspire the guide. He describes the experience as finding money he had not known was waiting for him. This is a founder-supplied personal account, not an independently audited example or a promise that other users will receive money.
How the free TaxesTime guide works
Visit TaxesTime.com/claim/, choose a state or U.S. territory, and follow the information about the relevant official unclaimed-property program. The service describes its directory as covering all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and five U.S. territories. It is a navigation and information tool, not a government claim-processing agency. Using the directory does not require entering a Social Security number, banking credentials or identity documents into TaxesTime’s guide. A government agency may ask for proof of identity or ownership on its own official secure site when someone files a claim.
What should California residents do?
California residents can search directly through the California State Controller’s Unclaimed Property Division. The Controller’s Office confirms that searching and filing a claim directly are free of charge. The office cautions against suspicious solicitations and fees charged by unofficial intermediaries. A search result matching someone’s name is not proof that the property belongs to that person.
Why check more than one state?
Someone who now lives in California but previously worked or rented housing in Nevada, Texas, New York or another state may have unclaimed funds reported elsewhere. Check former names and past addresses as appropriate. For each possible match, follow that jurisdiction’s official instructions. Search and eligibility rules can differ among jurisdictions.
More free information from TaxesTime
In addition to the unclaimed-money directory, the platform maintains a Tax Center with tax-related informational tools. Its homepage introduces other consumer tax resources. Users should evaluate each tool’s stated scope separately; an unclaimed-property search is not a tax refund application.
Useful links: TaxesTime — free unclaimed-property guide; California State Controller — official state program; National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators.
Disclosure: This article promotes the independently operated TaxesTime service. TaxesTime is not a government agency, is not affiliated with state unclaimed-property administrators, does not determine eligibility and does not issue payments. Direct government searches and claims are free. No payment or recovery is guaranteed.
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