Colorado
Colorado Unclaimed Property: How to Search & Claim Your Money (2026)
Colorado's Great Colorado Payback program is holding more than $2 billion in unclaimed property owed to millions of individuals and businesses, from forgotten bank accounts to uncashed checks. If you have ever lived, worked, or banked in Colorado, there is a real chance some of that money is yours, and the state's own search process is free.
Information last verified on 2026-07-15. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
How Colorado's Unclaimed Property Program Works
Unclaimed property in Colorado is created whenever a bank, employer, insurer, or other business owes someone money or another asset and loses contact with them for a set period, called the dormancy period. Once that period passes, Colorado's Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, codified at C.R.S. sections 38-13-101 and following, requires the holder to report and turn the property over to the state administrator, housed in the Department of the Treasury, rather than keep it.
Colorado's escheatment is custodial, not permanent. The Treasury holds the property in trust on the owner's behalf, and the program protects unclaimed assets "no matter how much time has passed," meaning the state holds funds in perpetuity until a valid claim is made. Colorado adopted the current Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act framework effective in 2020, replacing the state's older Unclaimed Property Act, and lawmakers have continued to update it since, most recently through a 2025 modernization bill covered below.
How to Search for Your Colorado Unclaimed Property
Start at unclaimedproperty.colorado.gov, the Treasury's official search portal for the Great Colorado Payback. Colorado also participates in MissingMoney.com, the free multi-state search tool run on behalf of the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, so a search there should also surface Colorado-held property alongside other participating states. Either way, the Treasury's own site is the direct, official system of record and worth checking first.
Tip: Search under every name you have used, including a maiden name, and any past Colorado address. Property is filed under whatever name and address the holder had on record when it reported the property, which can be well out of date.
If you have lived, worked, or banked in other states, search those directly too, since property is tied to the address on file at the time it was reported, not necessarily where you live today.
How to File a Claim
Filing directly with Colorado is free. The Treasury does not charge to search its database or to process and pay a valid claim.
Documentation generally scales with the size and complexity of the claim. Straightforward claims where you are the sole, currently named owner are typically the easiest to support with a government-issued photo ID and proof connecting you to the property, such as an old bank statement or an address history. Larger claims, and claims filed by heirs or an estate, commonly require more documentation, such as a notarized signature, a death certificate, or estate paperwork establishing legal authority to claim.
By statute, once a claim is complete, the state has up to 90 days to allow or deny it and to notify you of the decision in a record, under C.R.S. 38-13-904(2). If the claim is allowed, C.R.S. 38-13-905(1) then gives the administrator up to 30 more days to pay or deliver the property, or up to 45 days when the property is a security. If nothing happens within the 90-day window, the claim is treated as denied, and you can file an amended claim or go to court. Simpler, well-documented claims are often resolved well inside those windows.
One Colorado-specific limit is worth knowing before you file. Before paying any claim over $600, the administrator must offset the money against certain debts the claimant owes: child support obligations, arrears, and related costs under C.R.S. 38-13-902.1; court-ordered restitution, fines, fees, costs, or surcharges under C.R.S. 38-13-902.2; and delinquent state taxes, penalties, or interest under C.R.S. 38-13-902.3. Child support is applied first, then restitution and court obligations, then state taxes. C.R.S. 38-13-905(2) requires the offset before the property is delivered, and 38-13-905(3) lets the administrator make periodic inquiries of state agencies even when no claim has been filed. The practical effect is that a verified owner who owes one of those debts can receive a reduced payment, or nothing at all, with the balance sent to the state agency instead.
Colorado Sometimes Pays You Without a Claim
One of the more useful developments for Colorado residents is the Treasury's Proactive Check Campaign, under which the state identifies owners it can positively verify and mails a check automatically, with no claim form or extra paperwork needed. Between April and June 2026 alone, the Treasury reported mailing nearly 88,000 checks totaling more than $27.7 million this way. If you receive one of these checks, it means the state already confirmed your ownership and returned the funds directly.
Legitimate Proactive Check Campaign letters come from the Colorado Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division, and legitimate checks are issued through the Office of the State Controller with the required state signatures. If anything about a check or letter looks off, verify it directly with the Treasury rather than acting on the letter's own contact information.
The 2025 Law Update
House Bill 25-1224, effective June 4, 2025, updated Colorado's Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act in several ways relevant to residents. It set clear rules and a reporting timeline for unclaimed virtual currency and clarified when a tax-deferred retirement account is presumed abandoned, generally three years after it becomes payable or distributable to the owner.
The act's only fee change is narrower than it is often described. Section 14 of the act amended C.R.S. 38-13-1304(1)(b)(IV), which governs agreements to recover an unclaimed foreclosure overbid, cutting the maximum compensation from twenty percent of the overbid to ten percent. It did not change what an ordinary unclaimed property finder may charge. Those fees are capped by administrator rule under C.R.S. 38-13-1302(3), a provision the act left alone. Colorado also does not license recovery agents. Article 13 instead makes a noncompliant agreement unenforceable, voids any agreement signed during the 24 months after the property reaches the state, and makes it a class 2 misdemeanor to induce someone into an agreement that does not meet the statute's requirements. The update did not change the underlying three-year standard dormancy period that has applied since Colorado adopted RUUPA.
Dormancy Periods
Under Colorado's Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, the standard dormancy period, meaning how long a holder can go without contact from the owner before it must report the property to the state, is three years for most property types. Wages and payroll checks are reportable sooner, generally after one year. Some newer categories, including virtual currency, follow their own timelines set by the 2025 update described above. As with every state, the dormancy period only controls when a business must report the property, not when your right to claim it back from the state ends.
Avoiding Unclaimed Property Scams
Two different things get lumped together under "unclaimed money scams." The first is a paid "finder" or recovery service that locates unclaimed property and files a claim for a percentage of what is recovered. These are generally legal, and Colorado limits what they may charge, by administrator rule for ordinary agreements under C.R.S. 38-13-1302(3) and by statute at ten percent for foreclosure overbid recoveries, but they are never necessary, since the state's own process at unclaimedproperty.colorado.gov is completely free.
The second is outright fraud. The Federal Trade Commission warns that scammers impersonate government agencies through unsolicited calls, texts, and emails, claiming the recipient has unclaimed funds waiting. The consistent warning signs are being asked for sensitive personal or financial information out of nowhere, being pressured to pay an upfront "processing" or "release" fee, or being told a claim is about to expire.
Watch out: Colorado's real Proactive Check Campaign never asks you to pay a fee or provide financial information to receive a check that is already coming. If a caller or text asks for payment before releasing money the state supposedly owes you, that is not how the legitimate program works.
If you suspect fraud, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Related articles
- Unclaimed Money & Property by State
- Colorado Landlord-Tenant Laws
- Colorado Divorce Laws
- Colorado Power of Attorney Laws
Disclaimer
This article provides general information about how Colorado's unclaimed property program works as of the verification date above. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Program rules, dollar thresholds, and processing times can change; verify current details directly with the Colorado Department of the Treasury before relying on any figure here.
Last updated: 2026-07-15.
More Colorado Laws
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it really free to search for and claim unclaimed property in Colorado?
Yes. The Colorado Department of the Treasury does not charge to search unclaimedproperty.colorado.gov or to process and pay a valid claim filed directly with the state.
Does Colorado participate in MissingMoney.com?
Yes, Colorado participates in the multi-state MissingMoney.com search tool. The Treasury's own site, unclaimedproperty.colorado.gov, is the direct, official database and worth checking as well.
Is there a deadline to claim property held by Colorado?
No. The Great Colorado Payback program holds unclaimed property in perpetuity, so an owner or their heirs can generally file a claim at any time.
Can Colorado take part of my unclaimed property to pay a debt I owe?
Yes. On any claim over $600, the administrator must first offset the money against the claimant's child support obligations and arrears, court-ordered restitution, fines, fees, costs, or surcharges, and delinquent state taxes, penalties, or interest, applied in that priority order under C.R.S. 38-13-902.1 through 38-13-902.3. C.R.S. 38-13-905(2) requires the offset before the property is delivered, so a verified owner who owes one of those debts can receive a reduced payment or nothing at all.
What is Colorado's Proactive Check Campaign?
It is a Treasury program that automatically mails checks to owners it can positively verify, without requiring a claim form. Between April and June 2026, the Treasury mailed nearly 88,000 checks worth over $27.7 million this way.
How long does a Colorado unclaimed property claim take to process?
C.R.S. 38-13-904(2) gives the Treasury up to 90 days to allow or deny a completed claim and notify you of the decision. Once a claim is allowed, C.R.S. 38-13-905(1) gives the administrator up to 30 more days to pay or deliver the property, or up to 45 days for a security. Simpler claims are often resolved faster.
When does property become reportable to Colorado?
Most property types are presumed abandoned after three years of inactivity under Colorado's Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act, while wages and payroll checks are reportable after one year.
What changed under Colorado's 2025 unclaimed property law update?
House Bill 25-1224, effective June 4, 2025, added rules for virtual currency, clarified when a tax-deferred retirement account is presumed abandoned, and cut the maximum fee for recovering an unclaimed foreclosure overbid from twenty percent to ten percent under C.R.S. 38-13-1304(1)(b)(IV). It did not change the fee cap for ordinary unclaimed property finders, which is set by administrator rule under C.R.S. 38-13-1302(3).
Should I pay a company that offers to find my unclaimed money for a fee?
You never have to. Colorado's own search and claim process is free, so a paid finder service is a convenience at most, never a requirement. Colorado also limits these fees: administrator rules cap compensation on ordinary recovery agreements, and state law caps foreclosure overbid recovery fees at ten percent.
Updates
Corrected the 90-day claim rule to reflect that Colorado has 90 days to allow or deny a claim and up to 30 more days (45 for securities) to pay, narrowed the HB 25-1224 fee change to foreclosure overbid recoveries and removed the incorrect reference to licensed recovery agents, and added the mandatory offsets for child support, court restitution and delinquent state taxes that apply to any claim over $600.
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 38: Property - Real and Personal
§ 38-13-201When property presumed abandonedIn force
(1) Subject to section 38-13-210, the following property is presumed abandoned if it is unclaimed by the apparent owner during the period specified in this section: (a) A traveler's check, fifteen years after issuance; (b) A money order, seven years after issuance; (c) A state or municipal bond, a bearer bond, or an original-issue-discount bond, three years after the earliest of the date the bond matures or is called or the obligation to pay the principal of the bond arises; (d) A debt of a business association, three years after the obligation to pay arises; (e) Repealed.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-03 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at olls.info
§ 38-13-904When administrator must honor claim for propertyIn force
(1) The administrator shall pay or deliver property to a claimant under section 38-13-903 if the administrator receives evidence sufficient to establish to the satisfaction of the administrator that the claimant is the owner of the property. The general assembly recognizes and reaffirms that the administrator may require a claimant to provide any documents that are necessary to establish ownership before making payment, including but not limited to nonpublic or nonredacted documents. (2) Not later than ninety days after a claim is filed under section 38-13-903, the administrator shall allow or deny the claim and give the claimant notice of the decision in a record. If the claim is denied: (a) The administrator shall inform the claimant of the reason for the denial and specify what additional evidence, if any, is required for the claim to be allowed; (b) The claimant may file an amended claim with the administrator or commence an action under section 38-13-906; and (c) The administrator shall consider an amended claim filed under subsection (2)(b) of this section as an initial claim.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at olls.info
§ 38-13-905Allowance of claim for propertyIn force
(1) Not later than thirty days after a claim is allowed under section 38-13-904 (2) or, in the case of a security, not later than forty-five days after the claim is allowed under section 39-13-904 (2), the administrator shall pay or deliver to the owner the property or pay to the owner the net proceeds of a sale of the property, together with income or gain to which the owner is entitled under section 38-13-606. (2) Before delivery or payment to an owner under subsection (1) of this section of property or payment to the owner of net proceeds of a sale of the property, the administrator first shall apply the property or net proceeds in accordance with sections 38-13-902.2 to 38-13-902.4. The administrator shall pay the amount to the appropriate state agency and notify the owner of the payment. (3) The administrator may make periodic inquiries of state agencies in the absence of a claim filed under section 38-13-903 to determine whether an apparent owner included in the unclaimed property records of this state has an enforceable debt described in sections 38-13-902.2 to 38-13-902.4.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at olls.info
§ 38-13-1302When agreement to locate property void - rulesIn force
(1) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, an agreement under section 38-13-1301 is void if it is entered into during the period beginning on the date the property was paid or delivered by a holder to the administrator and ending twenty-four months after the payment or delivery. (2) If a provision in an agreement described in subsection (1) of this section applies to mineral proceeds for which compensation is to be paid to the other person based in whole or in part on a part of the underlying minerals or mineral proceeds not then presumed abandoned, the provision is void regardless of when the agreement was entered into. (3) The administrator shall adopt rules governing the maximum compensation in an agreement under subsection (1) of this section. An agreement that provides for compensation in an amount that exceeds the maximum amount established by rule is unenforceable except by the apparent owner. An apparent owner or the administrator, acting on behalf of an apparent owner, or both, may file an action in the district court for the city and county of Denver to reduce the compensation to the maximum amount.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at olls.info
§ 38-13-1304Agreements to locate reported property - overbids from foreclosure salesIn force
(1) Notwithstanding any provision of section 38-13-1303 to the contrary, an agreement to pay compensation to recover or assist in recovering an unclaimed overbid transferred to the administrator under section 38-38-111 is: (a) Not enforceable unless entered into at least two years after the date of the transfer; (b) Enforceable if: (I) The agreement is in writing and signed by the owner, as defined in section 38-38-111 (5); (II) The agreement describes the property and the date of the foreclosure sale from which the overbid was derived; (III) The agreement sets forth the nature of the services to be provided; (IV) The compensation to be paid under the terms of the agreement does not exceed ten percent of the amount of the overbid if entered into at least two years after the date of the transfer; and (V) States that the apparent owner may directly file a claim for property with the administrator, who in Colorado is the state treasurer, without being charged a fee by the administrator.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at olls.info
§ 38-13-902.1Claims offset for child supportIn force
(1) Before paying a claim pursuant to section 38-13-905 in an amount exceeding six hundred dollars, the administrator shall offset against the amount of the claim the claimant's obligations to pay current child support, child support debt, retroactive child support, child support arrearages, child support costs, or child support when combined with maintenance. The administrator may enter into a memorandum of understanding with the department of human services to implement this section and section 26-13-118.5. (2) (a) If a claimant owes current child support, child support debt, retroactive child support, child support arrearages, child support costs, or child support when combined with maintenance, and also owes restitution or fines, fees, costs, or surcharges as described in section 38-13-902.2, delinquent state taxes, penalties, or interest as described in section 38-13-902.3, or both, the unclaimed property offset against the current child support, child support debt, retroactive child support, child support arrearages, child support costs, or child support when combined with maintenance takes priority and shall be applied first.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at olls.info
§ 38-13-902.2Claims offset for judicial restitution, fines, fees, costs, or surchargesIn force
(1) Before paying a claim pursuant to section 38-13-905 in an amount exceeding six hundred dollars, the administrator shall offset against the amount of the claim the claimant's outstanding court fines, fees, costs, or surcharges or restitution. The administrator may enter into a memorandum of understanding with the judicial department to implement this section and sections 16-11-101.6 (6) and 16-18.5-106.7. (2) If a claimant owes fines, fees, costs, or surcharges or restitution as described in this section and also owes current child support, child support debt, retroactive child support, child support arrearages, child support costs, or child support when combined with maintenance as described in section 38-13-902.1, delinquent state taxes, penalties, or interest as described in section 38-13-902.3, or both, the unclaimed property offsets shall be applied in accordance with the priority set forth in section 38-13-902.1 (2).
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at olls.info
§ 38-13-902.3Claims offset for state tax delinquenciesIn force
(1) Before paying a claim pursuant to section 38-13-905 in an amount exceeding six hundred dollars, the administrator shall compare the social security number or federal employer identification number of the claimant with the numbers certified by the department of revenue for the purpose of the unclaimed property offset as provided in section 39-21-121. (2) If the social security number or federal employer identification number of a claimant appears among the numbers certified by the department of revenue pursuant to section 39-21-121, the administrator shall suspend the payment of the claim until the requirements of section 39-21-121 are met. If, after consulting with the department, the administrator determines that the claimant is obligated to pay the amounts certified under section 39-21-121, the administrator shall withhold from the amount of the unclaimed property paid to the claimant an amount equal to the amount of delinquent state taxes, penalties, or interest. If the amount of the unclaimed property is less than or equal to the amount of delinquent state taxes, penalties, or interest, the administrator shall withhold the entire amount of the unclaimed property.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at olls.info
Explore the law
This article also draws on these acts and chapters (opening at their first section): Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 38: Property - Real and Personal § 38-1-101 (Compensation - public use - commission - jury - court - prohibition on elimination of nonconforming uses or nonconforming property design by amortization - limitation on extraterritorial condemnation by municipalities - definitions)
Related law for further reading — not part of this article’s citations.
Search our full record of US law — 2.1 million sections, every state + federal →
Sources and References
- Colorado Department of the Treasury, Great Colorado Payback unclaimed property search and claim portal(unclaimedproperty.colorado.gov).gov
- Colorado Department of the Treasury, Proactive Check Campaign(treasury.colorado.gov).gov
- Colorado Department of the Treasury, Unclaimed Property program overview(treasury.colorado.gov).gov
- Colorado General Assembly, HB25-1224 Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act Modifications(leg.colorado.gov).gov
- Colorado Revised Statutes Title 38, Article 13, Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act(leg.colorado.gov).gov
- FTC Consumer Advice, How to handle unexpected calls about unclaimed funds(consumer.ftc.gov).gov
- Colorado Revised Statutes 2025, Title 38, Article 13 (Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act), sections 38-13-902.1 to 38-13-902.3, 38-13-904, 38-13-905, 38-13-1302 and 38-13-1304(olls.info)
- Colorado General Assembly, signed act text of House Bill 25-1224 (Section 14 amending C.R.S. 38-13-1304(1)(b)(IV))(leg.colorado.gov)