Wakulla County Unclaimed Money

Unclaimed money in Wakulla County could belong to you or someone in your family. Florida holds billions in lost funds, and even a small county like Wakulla has its share. Forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, old insurance payouts, and abandoned deposits make up the bulk of unclaimed money in the Crawfordville area. Searching takes just a few minutes and costs nothing. The Wakulla County Clerk of Courts may also hold court-related funds like bond refunds and surplus from tax deed sales. A quick look could turn up money you did not know about.

Search Wakulla County Lost Funds

The best place to look for unclaimed money in Wakulla County is fltreasurehunt.gov. This is the official state database run by the Florida Department of Financial Services. It costs nothing to use. The site is up all day, every day. One in five Floridians has lost funds in this system. Even in a county with around 37,000 people, that adds up fast.

Search every name you have used. Maiden names, married names, nicknames, and slight misspellings can all show results. If you had a business in Crawfordville or elsewhere in Wakulla County, search that name too. The database holds both personal and business accounts.

Wakulla County sits just south of Tallahassee, and many residents work across the county line in Leon County. If you held a job or bank account in Tallahassee, search those names as well. Unclaimed money gets tied to the address on file, not always where you live now.

Note: There is no fee to search and you do not need to create an account.

Types of Unclaimed Money in Wakulla County

Chapter 717, Florida Statutes spells out what counts as unclaimed property. The most common types are dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, life insurance proceeds, stocks, dividends, and the contents of safe deposit boxes. Under Section 717.106, a savings or checking account that goes untouched for five years is presumed unclaimed. Wages become unclaimed after just one year per Section 717.115.

Wakulla County residents who worked for local businesses, held accounts at regional banks, or had insurance policies could have unclaimed money in the state system. Utility deposits from Wakulla County providers sometimes go unclaimed when people move away without leaving a good address. Small refund checks from overpayments sit uncashed and eventually get turned over to the state. These are all common ways unclaimed money builds up in Wakulla County.

Wakulla County Clerk and Court Funds

The Wakulla County Clerk of Courts in Crawfordville handles money that passes through the local court system. This includes cash bonds from court cases, deposits placed in the court registry, and surplus from foreclosure or tax deed sales. Under Florida Statute 116.21, the Clerk must report court-related unclaimed money after a set holding period. Funds that no one claims typically go to the state within about a year.

If you had a court case in Wakulla County and never picked up a bond refund or deposit, call the Clerk first. They can check if funds are still held locally before they get sent off to Tallahassee.

Claiming Wakulla County Unclaimed Money

Found something that looks like yours? Start the claim on the Florida Treasure Hunt website. Click on the account in the search results and follow the steps. A claim form gets mailed to you with instructions on what proof to send.

You will need a government-issued photo ID like a driver's license. If the address on your ID does not match where you live now, add a recent utility bill or bank statement to show your current address. The state needs proof that you are the rightful owner of the unclaimed money, not just someone with the same name. An old bank statement, insurance letter, employer pay stub, or any document tying you to the account speeds things up. If the money belonged to someone who has passed away, you will need a certified death certificate and proof that you are the heir or the personal representative of their estate.

Once all your paperwork arrives, the state has 90 days to make a decision on your Wakulla County unclaimed money claim. Many get done sooner. Missing documents push the timeline back.

Wakulla County Unclaimed Property Laws

Florida law protects your right to claim unclaimed money forever. There is no deadline. Section 717.129 of the Florida Statutes makes this clear. No contract, court order, or other time limit can stop you from getting your money. The state does not take ownership of the funds. It holds them as a custodian under Section 717.102.

Holders of unclaimed property in Wakulla County, such as banks, businesses, and government offices, must report unclaimed funds to the state by May 1 each year per Section 717.117. They are supposed to try to find the owner first. When they can not, the money goes to the Florida Department of Financial Services. It gets placed in the State School Fund to support public education, but the full amount is always available for the rightful owner to claim.

Note: Safe deposit box contents have a three-year holding period under Section 717.116, shorter than the five-year rule for most accounts.

Florida Treasure Hunt for Wakulla County

The Florida Treasure Hunt homepage is where every Wakulla County search should start.

The Florida Department of Financial Services maintains this site. It covers all unclaimed property held by the state, including anything reported from Wakulla County businesses and banks. Search for free any time.

State Claim Search Database

The claim search page lets you look up unclaimed money by name.

Enter your name or business name and see results right away. Wakulla County residents can file a claim from this page if they find a match. The site also lets you check the status of a claim you already filed by calling 888-258-2253.

Protect Yourself from Scams

The Florida Department of Financial Services has warned residents about scams tied to unclaimed money. The state will never text you about unclaimed property. If someone asks for your bank account info or Social Security number to release funds, that is fraud. The real process goes through the official website and it is always free.

Some third-party finders contact people and offer to claim their money for a percentage. You do not need help. Go to fltreasurehunt.gov and keep all of your unclaimed money. Wakulla County residents who have lived in other states can also search MissingMoney.com to check multiple states at once. That site is run by the National Association of State Treasurers and costs nothing.

Cities in Wakulla County

Wakulla County includes Crawfordville, Sopchoppy, St. Marks, and Panacea. None of these meet the population threshold for a separate city page. All unclaimed money for Wakulla County residents flows through the same state and county systems regardless of which community you live in. Crawfordville is the county seat and the largest community with most of the county's population.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Wakulla County. If you lived close to the county line, your unclaimed money may have been reported under a neighboring address.