Iowa Treasurer of State, Unclaimed Property Division (Great Iowa Treasure Hunt)
Iowa · Unclaimed Property
greatiowatreasurehunt.govState Unclaimed Property in Iowa
The Iowa Treasurer of State holds unclaimed property — dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance payouts, and similar assets — through the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt until the owner or their heirs claim it. When the rightful owner has died, the property is paid to the estate, or to an heir who provides evidence of the right to claim it.
Steps to take when someone dies
- •Proof of the owner's death
- •Proof of authority to act for the estate, such as letters of appointment, where the estate was probated
- •Evidence of the right to claim as an heir under a will or under Iowa probate law
Required Documents
- Proof of the owner's death
- Letters of appointment: where the estate was probated. Proof of authority to act for the estate.
- Evidence of the right to claim as an heir: when claiming as an heir under a will or under Iowa probate law
State Unclaimed Property in Iowa: key facts
What Iowa says7
- Official search
The free search and online claims are at greatiowatreasurehunt.gov.1
- Who may claim for a deceased owner
Property of a deceased owner is paid to the owner's estate, or to an heir under a valid will or under Iowa probate law who submits the required evidence.1
- Documents for an heir or estate claim
Under Iowa Admin. Code r. 781-9.26(8), an executor or administrator submits the Affidavit of Administration with evidence of appointment; an heir submits it with evidence of entitlement under the will or Iowa probate law.2
- Claiming without a probate order
Iowa does not offer a simplified small-estate dollar-threshold procedure for unclaimed property. Every deceased-owner claim requires an Affidavit of Administration, regardless of the amount.2
- Processing time
The Treasurer's office tells claimants to allow up to 90 days for review, and notes that processing time varies with the type of claim, such as an heir, business or stock claim.3
- How an approved claim is paid
Iowa Code 556.20 requires the treasurer to make payment "forthwith" once a claim is allowed.4
Under Iowa Admin. Code r. 781-9.34, claims over $5,000 in cash value require an additional level of approval from a division manager before final payment is issued.5
- Deadline to claim
A claim can be made at any time; Iowa holds unclaimed property until the rightful owner or heir claims it.3, 6
Stock and safe deposit box contents may be sold after a holding period, but the claimant is still entitled to the value at which they were sold.3
Under Iowa Code 556.9B, U.S. savings bonds escheat to the state three years after they are presumed abandoned, and legal title vests solely in the state.7
A claim may still be filed for escheated savings bonds, and the treasurer may pay it.7
Governing law: Iowa Code Chapter 556 (Disposition of Unclaimed Property)
Deadlines1
- U.S. savings bonds escheat to the state
within 3 years of the date the bonds are presumed abandoned; legal title vests solely in the state, though a claim may still be filed and the treasurer may pay it7
Not in Iowa's published guidance1
- A calendar-day payment deadline
Iowa unclaimed property
Iowa Treasurer of State, Unclaimed Property Division (Great Iowa Treasure Hunt)
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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Iowa
Free calculators and checklists for planning or settling an estate in Iowa: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay, and inheritance taxes.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
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Who Inherits Without a Will?
Without a will in Iowa, a surviving spouse takes the entire estateIowa Code § 633.211Verified Sep 10, 2026View source when every child of either spouse is a child of both, and descendants divide what passes to them per stirpesIowa Code § 633.219(1)Verified Sep 10, 2026View source.
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