Office of the Indiana Attorney General, Unclaimed Property Division
Indiana · Unclaimed Property
indianaunclaimed.govState Unclaimed Property in Indiana
Indiana is one of the few states where the Attorney General — not the Treasurer — holds unclaimed property such as dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, and insurance payouts. A legal heir can claim the property of a deceased owner after searching the free state database.
Steps to take when someone dies
Required Documents
- Small estate affidavit: when a distributee collects the property under Ind. Code 29-1-8-1
State Unclaimed Property in Indiana: key facts
What Indiana says6
- Official search
The free search and online claims are at indianaunclaimed.gov.1
- Who may claim for a deceased owner
A legal heir may claim the assets of a deceased original owner.1, 2
- Documents for an heir or estate claim
The documentation each claim requires is listed on the claim form the online system generates.1, 2
The claim is filed on a form prescribed by the attorney general and must be verified by the claimant.3
The attorney general pays the claim on evidence sufficient to establish that the claimant is the owner.3
- Processing time
The attorney general must allow or deny a claim within 90 days of filing.3
- Deadline to claim
A claim may be filed up to 25 years after the date the property is presumed abandoned. After 25 years the property becomes the property of the state.3
- Claiming without a probate order
Indiana Unclaimed accepts an heir-to-a-small-estate claim.1, 2
Under Ind. Code 29-1-8-1, a distributee may collect a decedent's personal property by affidavit when the gross probate estate, less liens, encumbrances and reasonable funeral expenses, does not exceed $100,000 for deaths after June 30, 2022.4
The affidavit under Ind. Code 29-1-8-1 is available only once 45 days have elapsed since the death and no petition for appointment of a personal representative is pending or has been granted.4
Governing law: Ind. Code 32-34-1.5 (Revised Unclaimed Property Act); Ind. Code 29-1-8-1 (small estate affidavit)
Deadlines1
- Claim for unclaimed property
within 25 years of the date the property is presumed abandoned; the property becomes the property of the state3
Not in Indiana's published guidance1
- A Letters Testamentary, heirship and identification checklist
Indiana unclaimed property
Office of the Indiana Attorney General, Unclaimed Property Division
Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Indiana
Free calculators and checklists for planning or settling an estate in Indiana: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay, and inheritance taxes.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Indiana: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 daysIC 29-1-12-1, IC 29-1-7.5-3.2Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 3 monthsIC 29-1-14-1, 29-1-7-7, 29-1-14-9, 29-1-14-10Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
What Is the Estate's Personal Property Worth for Probate?
In Indiana, the personal representative lists the estate's personal property at its fair market value as of the date of deathIC 29-1-12-1, IC 29-1-7.5-3.2Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, on the inventory filed within 60 daysIC 29-1-12-1, IC 29-1-7.5-3.2Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of the appointment.
Who Inherits Without a Will?
Without a will in Indiana, a surviving spouse takes half of the estateIC § 29-1-2-1Verified Oct 21, 2026View source when every child of either spouse is a child of both, and descendants divide what passes to them per capita with representationIC § 29-1-2-1(d)(1)Verified Oct 21, 2026View source.
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