State Unclaimed Property in Missouri

State Unclaimed Property in Missouri: key facts

Administering office

Missouri State Treasurer, Unclaimed Property Division.

Official search

treasurer.mo.gov/UnclaimedProperty (the State Treasurer's free unclaimed property search and online claims portal; the Treasurer also advertises it as showmemoney.com, which redirects there).

Heir claim documents

Proof of death plus proof of authority — probate documents such as Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration if the estate was probated, or an Affidavit of Heirship using the Treasurer's Table of Heirship if it was not.

No deadline, no fee

Missouri holds unclaimed property until it is claimed, so there is generally no deadline for heirs to file, and the Treasurer never charges to return property.

Small estate option

If the estate does not exceed $40,000 (net of liens, debt, and encumbrances) and 30 days have passed since death, an heir may use the RSMo 473.097 small estate affidavit filed with the probate division — no full probate required. For a deceased owner, 15 CSR 50-3.090 accepts a certified copy of the letters testamentary, a refusal of letters, or the probate court's final order of distribution as authority to claim.

Interest on unclaimed property

Interest is paid only where the owner would have been entitled to interest had the property not been presumed abandoned — typically property reported as an interest-bearing account. Under Mo. Rev. Stat. 447.565 and 15 CSR 50-3.090, that interest stops accruing seven years after the property was delivered to the State Treasurer, so heirs who delay beyond seven years still receive the principal but no further interest.

Governing law: Mo. Rev. Stat. 447.500 to 447.595 (Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act); RSMo 473.097 (small estate affidavit); 15 CSR 50-3.090 (unclaimed property claim procedures)

Steps to take when someone dies

1. Search treasurer.mo.gov/UnclaimedProperty for the deceased's name and prior addresses, and run a multi-state search at missingmoney.com.
2. File a claim as the estate representative or heir, with the deceased-owner documentation 15 CSR 50-3.090 requires:
   • A certified copy of Letters Testamentary or of Administration if the estate was probated
   • A certified copy of a refusal of letters or the probate court's final order of distribution if the estate went through the small estate or refusal-of-letters process
   • The Treasurer's Table of Heirship if no court filing is required
   • A death certificate and identification
3. Submit the claim through the Treasurer's online portal or by mail and track its status online.

Frequently asked questions