How to claim unclaimed money in Colorado
The Great Colorado Payback has returned over $940 million in forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, and old insurance payouts to their rightful owners. Here’s exactly how to find out if any of it belongs to you — and how to get it back for free.
Unclaimed property ends up with the state when a bank, employer, insurer, or utility loses touch with the rightful owner. Under Colorado’s Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, most bank accounts and utility deposits are considered abandoned after five years of no owner contact — wages after just one year, stocks and dividends after three — before holders must turn the funds over to the Colorado Department of the Treasury for safekeeping. From there, the state holds it under your name in perpetuity, waiting for you to claim it.
Search the official Colorado Unclaimed Property database with your current and past names.
Open Colorado search guide →Common ways people end up owed money in Colorado
You don’t need a dramatic story for the state to be holding something in your name. Most claims trace back to something ordinary:
- Closed a bank account and left a small balance behind
- Moved out of Colorado without leaving a forwarding address
- Inherited from a relative who lived or banked in Colorado
- Had a payroll check, tax refund, or utility deposit returned undelivered
- Left a security deposit behind after a Denver-area apartment lease ended
- Held stock, dividends, or oil and gas royalties tied to a Colorado company
Step-by-step: claiming your money in Colorado
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Search every name you’ve used
Try your current legal name, maiden name, nicknames, and any past spellings or typos on the Great Colorado Payback database. Narrow results by city if you know your past address.
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Confirm the listing is yours
Match the last known address, employer, or bank named in the record to somewhere you’ve actually lived or worked before you click claim.
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File the claim online
Submit your claim with your Social Security number or business tax ID. Claims valued over $1,000 must be notarized before submission.
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Wait for review and payment
Straightforward claims are often paid within a few weeks to a few months. Some accounts are matched automatically and paid by check without you ever having to file.
Unclaimed property is filed under your address at the time — not where you live now. If you’ve ever moved to or from Colorado, held a job elsewhere, or gone to college out of state, that state may owe you too.
Check every state you’ve lived in →Frequently asked questions
Is it free to search for unclaimed money in Colorado?
Yes. Searching the Great Colorado Payback database is free, and there is no fee to file a claim for money that is rightfully yours.
How long does Colorado take to pay out a claim?
Timelines vary by claim complexity, but many straightforward claims are paid within a few weeks to a few months after submission. Colorado also proactively mails checks for some accounts it can positively match without requiring a claim at all.
Is Colorado unclaimed money a scam?
No — unclaimed property programs are run directly by state government, in Colorado’s case the Department of the Treasury’s Great Colorado Payback program. The only real risk is third-party “finder” services that charge a fee for a search you can do yourself for free.
What happens if I never claim my money?
There’s no deadline — Colorado holds unclaimed property for the rightful owner or their heirs with no time limit for filing. You can search and file at any point, even years later.
Ready to check? Start with the Colorado unclaimed money search guide, then use the full 50-state checklist to cover every place you’ve ever lived.
