Broward County Unclaimed Money

Broward County has a large pool of unclaimed money that grows each year. More than two million people live here, which means a lot of funds go unclaimed from old bank accounts, stale checks, and court cases. The Broward Clerk of Courts and Comptroller in Fort Lauderdale handles local unclaimed funds, while the state runs its own search tool at FLTreasureHunt.gov. You can look for unclaimed money in Broward County at no cost through both channels. Start with an online search to see if any funds are held in your name or the name of someone in your family.

Broward County Clerk of Courts

The Broward Clerk of Courts and Comptroller manages local unclaimed money. This office sits at 201 SE 6th Street in Fort Lauderdale. The Finance Division handles all questions about unclaimed funds, stale checks, and refunds owed by the clerk's office. If you think Broward County owes you money from jury service, a case refund, or a court-ordered payment, the Finance Division is where you start.

The Broward County Clerk of Courts website shows the Broward Clerk homepage where you can find links to court services, records, and finance tools. The clerk's office has a clear process for getting back unpaid funds. If the money has been held for less than one year, you contact the Finance Division at APClerk@browardclerk.org. If it is more than a year old, the funds may have gone to the state.

You can reach the Broward Clerk at (954) 831-6565 during normal business hours. Staff can tell you if any unclaimed funds are still in the county's hands or if they have been sent to the state program.

Note: Juror payments from Broward County are mailed weekly, and jurors should get paid within ten days after their last day of service.

Search Broward County Unclaimed Funds

There are two main ways to search for unclaimed money in Broward County. The first is the state database at FLTreasureHunt.gov. This site holds funds from all 67 Florida counties, including Broward. You type in your name and see if any accounts come up. The search is free and runs around the clock. Try all name forms you have used, like maiden names, married names, and old nicknames. One in five people in Florida has unclaimed funds in this system, so the odds are decent that something is there for you.

The second way is to check with the Broward Clerk's Finance Division for funds that have not yet gone to the state. The Broward County Finance Division page is shown below and gives details on how to collect unpaid funds from the clerk's office.

The Finance Division deals with stale dated checks, jury pay, overpayments on cases, and court-ordered payments that went uncashed. If the check is less than a year old, call the Finance Division. They can reissue it. For checks more than a year old, the funds likely went to the state under Chapter 717, Florida Statutes. In that case, search FLTreasureHunt.gov to file a claim.

Broward County Tax Deed Surplus

Tax deed sales in Broward County can create surplus funds. When a property sells at auction for more than the amount owed in back taxes, the extra money belongs to the former owner. Under Chapter 197 of the Florida Statutes, the county holds these surplus funds for one year. During that time, the former owner or their heirs can file a claim. If nobody claims the money within a year, it goes to the state's unclaimed property program.

To claim tax deed surplus money in Broward County, you need to fill out an affidavit. The Broward County Records, Taxes and Treasury Division has the form. You can find it at the Broward County tax deed surplus affidavit page. Send the filled-out form to the county with proof of who you are and proof that you owned the property. The county will review your claim and send the surplus funds if everything checks out.

Note: Tax deed surplus claims in Broward County must be filed within one year after the surplus became payable or distributable.

Florida Unclaimed Property Search

The Florida Department of Financial Services runs the state unclaimed property program. This is the main place to search for all types of unclaimed money, not just funds from Broward County. The database holds billions of dollars from dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, old insurance payouts, stocks, and safe deposit box items. Under Florida Statute 717.102, property is presumed unclaimed after five years of no contact with the owner. Wages go unclaimed after just one year per Statute 717.115. Safe deposit box contents become unclaimed after three years under Statute 717.116.

The search at FLTreasureHunt.gov/ClaimSearch is free. You do not need to pay anyone to search for you. Beware of firms that charge a fee to look up unclaimed funds. Florida law says you can claim your money at no cost. There is no time limit on claims either. You can claim funds no matter how long they have been in the system.

When you find unclaimed money tied to Broward County or any Florida location, you can start a claim right on the site. You will need a government photo ID and proof that the money is yours. The state has up to 90 days to process a complete claim. Most claims go faster than that, but complex cases may take the full period. For help, call the state toll-free line at 888-258-2253 or email FloridaUnclaimedProperty@MyFloridaCFO.com.

How to Claim Unclaimed Money in Broward County

Once you find unclaimed funds, the next step is to prove they belong to you. The claim process differs depending on where the money sits. For funds at the state level, you file through FLTreasureHunt.gov. For funds still held by the Broward Clerk, you deal with the Finance Division in Fort Lauderdale.

To file a state claim for unclaimed money from Broward County, you will need these items:

• A copy of your driver's license or government-issued photo ID
• Proof of ownership such as account statements or old correspondence
• If the owner is deceased, a certified death certificate
• All heirs must sign the claim form and provide their own ID
• A completed W-9 form for any cash disbursement

Having the same name as the account holder is not enough on its own. The state sees many claims from people who share common names. You need documents that tie you to the specific account. Old bank statements, letters from the company that held the funds, or records that show your old address can all help prove your case. Read the claim form carefully because each one lists the exact papers you must send in.

Note: Florida does not charge a fee to search or claim unclaimed property, so any service asking for payment is not the official state program.

Types of Unclaimed Funds in Broward County

Unclaimed money in Broward County comes from many sources. The most common type is a dormant bank account. When a bank or credit union in Broward County has an account with no activity for five years, and they cannot reach the owner, the funds go to the state. This also applies to credit balances, refunds, and deposits that were never picked up.

Court registry funds are another big source of unclaimed money in Broward County. When money gets deposited with the court during a lawsuit, foreclosure, or other legal matter, it stays in the court registry until a judge orders it paid out. If nobody claims those funds, the Broward Clerk holds them. Foreclosure surplus is a large part of this. When a foreclosed property in Broward County sells for more than the mortgage debt, the leftover goes into the court registry. The former homeowner may not even know about it. The clerk's office has handled hundreds of cases involving surplus funds from mortgage foreclosures across Broward County.

Other types include uncashed checks from the Broward County government, such as vendor payments or jury compensation. Insurance proceeds, forgotten utility deposits, payroll checks, and stock dividends also end up as unclaimed money. If you worked, banked, or did business in Broward County at any point, it is worth checking both the state and local databases.

Cities in Broward County

Broward County has more than 30 cities and towns. All of them fall under the Broward Clerk of Courts for local unclaimed funds. If you lived in any Broward County city, search for unclaimed money using both your city address and your name.

Other communities in Broward County include Lighthouse Point, Wilton Manors, Sea Ranch Lakes, and Lazy Lake. Residents of these areas should also search for unclaimed money through the Broward Clerk and state database.

Nearby Counties

These counties sit next to Broward County. If you have lived in more than one county in South Florida, search for unclaimed money in each one. Funds are tied to where a company or agency held them, not where you live now.