State Unclaimed Property in New Jersey
The New Jersey Unclaimed Property Administration, within the Department of the Treasury, holds unclaimed property — dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance payouts, and similar assets — until the owner or their heirs claim it. Heirs of a deceased owner file a claim with proof of death and authority to act for the estate. The Administration never charges a fee to search or claim property.
Administering agency
New Jersey Unclaimed Property Administration — Department of the Treasury
Authority
N.J.S.A. 46:30B (Uniform Unclaimed Property Act)
State Unclaimed Property in New Jersey: key facts
- Administering office
- New Jersey Unclaimed Property Administration, Department of the Treasury.
- Official search
- unclaimedfunds.nj.gov (free search and online claims). The Administration never charges a fee to search or claim.
- Heir claim documents
- A photocopy of the death certificate; a Surrogate's Certificate (executor), Letters of Administration (no will), or a Next of Kin letter for small intestate estates of not over $10,000 with no surviving spouse — dated within one year of the claim; plus photo identification and proof of the decedent's Social Security number (not needed separately if the death certificate shows it).
- Decedent records
- Probate documentation must come from the appropriate county Surrogate's Court — the court in the county where the decedent lived at the time of death. The UPA's Claim Documentation page publishes the phone number of each of the 21 county Surrogate offices. The published guidance covers decedents who lived in New Jersey at death; for an out-of-state decedent, the UPA directs claimants to that state for probate documentation.
- Interest paid
- The UPA pays interest running from the date the property was escheated to the State through the date it approves the return. Where that interest exceeds $10, the UPA issues a 1099-INT the following January.
- Small estate option
- The Unclaimed Property Administration accepts a Next of Kin letter where the decedent died intestate, left no surviving spouse, and the aggregate value of the estate does not exceed $10,000: one of the next-of-kin, with written consents from all other next-of-kin of equal degree, files an Affidavit of Next of Kin with the appropriate county Surrogate's office in lieu of administration.
Governing law: N.J.S.A. 46:30B (Uniform Unclaimed Property Act)
Steps to take when someone dies
- Search unclaimedfunds.nj.gov for the deceased's name and prior addresses.
- File a claim as the estate representative or heir with:
- A photocopy of the death certificate
- A Surrogate's Certificate, Letters of Administration, or a Next of Kin letter (small intestate estates of not over $10,000) dated within one year of the claim
- Photo identification and the deceased's Social Security number
- Upload the documentation through the online claim portal and wait for the Administration's review.
New Jersey Unclaimed Property Administration — Department of the Treasury
Phone: 609-292-9200
Visit the agency website →Frequently asked questions
Search unclaimedfunds.nj.gov, then file a claim with a photocopy of the death certificate and proof of authority — a Surrogate's Certificate, Letters of Administration, or a Next of Kin letter for small intestate estates of not over $10,000 — dated within one year of the claim, along with photo identification.
No. The New Jersey Unclaimed Property Administration never charges a fee to search for or claim unclaimed property. Heir finders and locators are private businesses that charge up to 20 percent of the property value to act as an agent; an estate can file the same claim directly with the UPA at no cost.
No. Unclaimed property that is not claimed remains in the Unclaimed Property Trust Fund in perpetuity, or until a valid claim is submitted and processed. The reported owner never relinquishes ownership, so there is no deadline for an owner or their heirs to file a claim.
Yes, for small intestate estates. If the deceased left no surviving spouse and the aggregate estate value does not exceed $10,000, one next-of-kin — with written consents from the others of equal degree — can file an Affidavit of Next of Kin with the appropriate county Surrogate's office in lieu of administration. The Unclaimed Property Administration accepts the resulting Next of Kin letter as proof of legal capacity to claim.
Sources
Data sourced from State Unclaimed Property in New Jersey primary sources (6 pages reviewed). How we research.
Administering agency
New Jersey Unclaimed Property Administration — Department of the Treasury
Authority
N.J.S.A. 46:30B (Uniform Unclaimed Property Act)