Do I have to search MissingMoney in addition to state sites?

No. Searching MissingMoney is usually sufficient for the 48 states it covers. But adding a search on the 3 non-participating states' sites (California, Delaware, etc.) covers the remaining gaps.

Are MissingMoney.com results as up-to-date as state sites?

Usually, but there's a 1–3 month lag after a state receives new data. For urgent searches, hit the state site directly.

Does MissingMoney have my credit card info or SSN?

No. It's search-only — type a name, see results. No account, no payment. Claim filing happens on the state's own portal.

What if MissingMoney shows nothing but a finder claims I have money?

Verify independently on the state the finder mentions. If the state site also shows nothing, the finder is almost certainly scamming. See our verify-unclaimed-property-notice guide.

Why do I get different results searching MissingMoney vs an individual state site?

Usually a lag in MissingMoney's aggregation. Occasionally the state portal shows additional context (safe-deposit box contents, stock certificates) that MissingMoney summarizes more tersely.

MissingMoney.com vs State Sites: Which to Use?

Quick answer

**Always start with MissingMoney.com** — it's free, covers 48 of 51 jurisdictions, and is officially endorsed by NAUPA (National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators). 90% of the time it finds what you're looking for.

**Then check each state's own site** for the three jurisdictions that don't participate in MissingMoney, plus any state where you suspect pending-but-unsynced data.

What MissingMoney actually is

MissingMoney is a free joint website run by NAUPA. Each participating state uploads its unclaimed-property records periodically; MissingMoney aggregates them into one searchable database.

It's not a government entity — it's a nonprofit service operated by the states themselves. It has no ads and no fees. Claims are still filed with the individual state, not with MissingMoney.

The search interface is minimal: type a name and optional state, get matches. Click a match and you're redirected to that state's claim portal.

States not on MissingMoney (check directly)

**California** — has its own MissingMoney-like portal at claimit.ca.gov. CA is the largest state holder (~$11B+), so always search it separately.

**Delaware** — uses unclaimedproperty.delaware.gov. Delaware holds an outsized amount because of its concentration of corporate registrations.

**A rotating third or fourth state** — participation sometimes lapses temporarily. Always double-check by going to the state's site directly if your search result seems empty.

**Note:** NAUPA participation can change — always sanity-check that the state you care about is included by visiting the state site directly.

Timing differences (why state sites sometimes have fresher data)

State unclaimed-property offices receive holder reports (from banks, employers, insurers) quarterly or semi-annually. When a state receives a new batch, its own portal updates first.

MissingMoney re-aggregates state data on a quarterly cycle. So a match that just appeared on your state's site might not show on MissingMoney for 1–3 months.

Practical implication: for urgent claims (say, you know a relative just died and you're looking for accounts), search the state site directly every few weeks until you find a match.

Why HeirClaim exists as a third option

HeirClaim combines MissingMoney's coverage with direct state-site data (including the non-participating states) and adds deceased-person records from public obituary and probate databases.

Practical result: HeirClaim finds matches that MissingMoney misses because (a) we include all 51 jurisdictions, (b) we cross-reference deceased relatives the searcher might not think to search individually, (c) we normalize name variants (maiden names, nicknames, misspellings).

Search is free on HeirClaim. We only charge if you choose to file through our Document Preparation or Full Service tier.