Palm Beach County Unclaimed Money Search

Palm Beach County has a large amount of unclaimed money waiting for residents to claim it. With over 1.5 million people, from West Palm Beach down through Boca Raton and Boynton Beach, the volume of lost funds in this county is among the highest in the state. Unclaimed money in Palm Beach County comes from old bank accounts, forgotten insurance checks, court surplus funds, and uncashed refunds. The state runs a free search tool where you can look up unclaimed property tied to your name. The Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts also holds local court funds that may belong to you.

Search Palm Beach County Unclaimed Funds

Start your search at fltreasurehunt.gov. This is the official state database run by the Florida Department of Financial Services. It is free. The search covers all unclaimed property reported by banks, insurance companies, employers, and government offices throughout Palm Beach County. One in five people in Florida has unclaimed funds somewhere in the system. Given the size of Palm Beach County, that means hundreds of thousands of residents could have money sitting in the database right now.

Try all the names you have gone by. Maiden names matter here. So do old married names and nicknames. Data entry errors happen, so even a slight misspelling could hide your money. If you ran a business in Palm Beach County, search under that name too. The state search page lets you look up both personal and business accounts. It takes less than a minute to run a search.

You should also check MissingMoney.com for a multi-state search. Palm Beach County draws people from all over the country. If you moved here from another state, funds from your old home could still be waiting. MissingMoney checks many states at once.

Note: The state database is free to search 24 hours a day and you never need to pay a third party to look up your name.

Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts

The Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts holds unclaimed money at the local level. This office is at 205 N. Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. You can call them at (561) 355-2994. The Clerk manages several types of unclaimed funds that do not go straight to the state. Tax deed surplus is one of the biggest categories. Palm Beach County conducts tax deed sales regularly. When a property sells for more than the amount owed, the extra cash belongs to the former owner. Many people never come forward to collect it.

Foreclosure surplus works the same way. If a home in Palm Beach County sells at a foreclosure auction for more than the judgment amount, surplus funds go to the court registry. The former homeowner or lien holders may have a right to that money. Cash bonds from criminal cases also end up with the Clerk if nobody collects them. Uncashed checks for jury payments, vendor services, and county refunds are another source. Under Florida Statute Section 116.21, the Clerk tracks all court-related unclaimed money and reports it on a yearly basis.

After a holding period of about one year, the Clerk sends unclaimed funds to the state. So if you think the Palm Beach County Clerk once held your money, it may now be at fltreasurehunt.gov instead. Check both places.

How to Claim Unclaimed Money in Palm Beach County

Found your name? Good. The claim process depends on where the money is held. For funds in the state database, click on the account on the fltreasurehunt.gov search page and follow the steps. You will get a claim form. Each form tells you what papers to send. At a minimum, you need a government-issued photo ID with your current address. If your ID shows an old address, add a utility bill or bank statement as backup.

Proof of ownership is key. Having the same name as the account holder is not enough. The state gets claims from multiple people with the same name on a regular basis, and Palm Beach County is no exception. You may need old bank statements, insurance policy numbers, or pay stubs that tie you to the specific account. For deceased owners, heirs need a certified death certificate and documents that show their right to the funds.

The state allows up to 90 days to process a complete claim. Many get done sooner, but a missing document will delay things. For Palm Beach County Clerk-held funds like tax deed surplus or court registry deposits, you may need to file a motion in court. A W-9 is standard for any payout from the Clerk's office.

Types of Unclaimed Property in Palm Beach County

Unclaimed money in Palm Beach County takes many forms. Dormant bank accounts are the most common. Under Chapter 717, Florida Statutes, a bank account that sits idle for five years becomes unclaimed property. The bank must report it to the state. Insurance proceeds, stocks, dividends, and refunds all fall under the same rule. Uncashed checks from employers in Palm Beach County get reported after just one year per Section 717.115.

Safe deposit box contents have a three-year dormancy period under Section 717.116. Traveler's checks sit for 15 years before the state takes custody. Money orders become unclaimed after seven years. At the county level, Palm Beach County generates tax deed surplus, foreclosure surplus, and court registry deposits on a regular basis. These are tracked separately by the Clerk under Section 116.21.

Note: All types of unclaimed property in Palm Beach County can be claimed at no cost, with no deadline.

Palm Beach County Unclaimed Money Laws

Florida has strong protections for unclaimed property owners. The state never takes legal ownership of your money. It holds the funds as a custodian under the Florida Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act. There is no statute of limitations on claiming your property in Palm Beach County or anywhere in Florida. You or your heirs can come forward at any time. The original amount is always available.

Businesses in Palm Beach County must report unclaimed property to the state by May 1 of each year under Section 717.117. Before sending funds, they are required to make an effort to find the owner. When that fails, the money goes to the Division of Unclaimed Property in Tallahassee. The state deposits unclaimed funds into the State School Fund to help pay for public schools, but the full amount remains available for the rightful owner to claim. Section 717.124 covers how the Department reviews and decides on claims. Heirs should also review administrative rule 69G-20.0022 for what documentation they need to submit.

The Florida Treasure Hunt portal gives Palm Beach County residents free access to the state search tool.

This page lets you start a search, check claim status, or learn about the unclaimed property process in Palm Beach County.

Palm Beach County Unclaimed Funds Resources

Several resources help Palm Beach County residents track down lost money. The state FAQ page answers common questions about how claims work. The state contact page has phone numbers and email addresses. Call the toll-free line at 888-258-2253 for direct help. You can also email FloridaUnclaimedProperty@MyFloridaCFO.com for questions about a Palm Beach County claim.

For local court-held funds, the Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts at 205 N. Dixie Hwy in West Palm Beach handles claims in person. Call (561) 355-2994 to ask about specific unclaimed funds. Their website has forms and details for different claim types. If you need legal help with a motion for surplus funds, the Palm Beach County Bar Association can point you to a local attorney who handles these cases.

The state claim search tool is shown here for Palm Beach County residents looking for unclaimed property.

Use this search page to look up unclaimed money tied to your name in Palm Beach County and across Florida.

Cities in Palm Beach County

Palm Beach County includes West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Jupiter, Wellington, Palm Beach Gardens, and many other communities. All unclaimed money for these cities routes through the Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts or the state database. None of these cities run their own unclaimed property programs. West Palm Beach is the county seat and the location of the main Clerk office.

Residents of any Palm Beach County city should start their search at fltreasurehunt.gov. For court-related funds, contact the Clerk in West Palm Beach directly. Unclaimed money does not depend on which city you live in. It is tied to your name, not your specific town or zip code.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Palm Beach County. If you have lived in any of these areas, run a search for unclaimed money there as well. The state database covers all Florida counties in one search, but local court-held funds may be with a different Clerk.