State Unclaimed Property in Delaware: when someone dies
A 3-step process for Delaware Office of Unclaimed Property (Department of Finance) after a death in Delaware.
Administering agency
Delaware Office of Unclaimed Property (Department of Finance)
Authority
Del. Code tit. 12, ch. 11 (Escheats), subch. II (Unclaimed Property), §§ 1165-1167
Steps to take
- Search unclaimedproperty.delaware.gov for the deceased's name and prior addresses, and run a multi-state search at missingmoney.com.
- Initiate the claim online and submit the documentation the office requests for an estate claim:
- A certified copy of the death certificate for the deceased owner
- A certified copy of Letters Testamentary, or a small estate affidavit for some estates
- A certified copy of the last will, and certified documents showing the claimant's relationship to the owner
- Government-issued photo identification and proof of the claimant's current mailing address
- The State Escheator pays or delivers the property once satisfied the claimant is entitled to it (12 Del. C. § 1166); payment for a decedent is issued to the estate by check.
Delaware Office of Unclaimed Property (Department of Finance)
Phone: 855-505-7520
Visit the agency website →Frequently asked questions
Search unclaimedproperty.delaware.gov, then initiate a claim and provide a certified death certificate, a certified copy of any document showing your relationship to the owner, and documentation of your legal right to claim for the estate — the office names Letters Testamentary or, for some estates, a small estate affidavit, plus a certified copy of the will. Payment is made to the estate by check.
The Delaware Department of Finance Office of Unclaimed Property, led by the State Escheator, holds unclaimed property under Del. Code tit. 12, ch. 11. The claims line is 855-505-7520 and the claims email is escheat.claimquestions@delaware.gov.
No. The Office of Unclaimed Property states that a claim may be submitted at any time, and 12 Del. C. § 1165 allows any person claiming an interest in property held by the State Escheator to file a claim.
Sources
Data sourced from State Unclaimed Property in Delaware primary sources (6 pages reviewed). How we research.
Administering agency
Delaware Office of Unclaimed Property (Department of Finance)
Authority
Del. Code tit. 12, ch. 11 (Escheats), subch. II (Unclaimed Property), §§ 1165-1167