Skip to main content
SimplyTrust
SimplyTrust
Create a TrustSettle an EstateForms & ToolsFreeResources
OverviewEstate Law
OverviewEstate Law
Attorneys
All Ohio Attorneys
Forms
Revocable Living Trust for Ohio ResidentsOhio Last Will and TestamentOhio Pour-Over WillOhio Healthcare Power of AttorneyOhio Financial Power of AttorneyOhio Transfer on Death DeedVehicle Transfer on DeathOhio EIN ApplicationOhio Petition for Probate and LettersOhio Notice to CreditorsOhio Small Estate AffidavitLetter of InstructionDigital Assets Recovery Letter
Getting Prepared
Ohio Estate Planning Cost CalculatorOhio Revocable Living Trust Cost CalculatorOhio Will Cost CalculatorOhio Life Insurance CalculatorOhio Beneficiary Designation CheckerOhio Name a Guardian GuideOhio Burial & Cremation Law GuideOhio Signing Requirements CheckerOhio Document Portability CheckerOhio Trust Need AssessmentOhio TOD Deed AssessmentOhio Vehicle TOD AssessmentOhio Trust or Will Decision Tool
Someone Just Passed Away
Ohio Death Certificate CalculatorOhio Probate Decision ToolOhio Estate Settlement Plan
I'm an Executor
Ohio Probate Cost CalculatorOhio Executor Fee CalculatorOhio Self-File Probate AssessmentOhio Executor Appointment GuideOhio Creditor Claims DeadlinesOhio Personal Property Value Estimator
I'm a Trustee
Ohio Trustee Compensation CalculatorOhio Trust Settlement Plan
Taxes & Inheritance
Ohio Who Inherits CalculatorOhio Estate & Inheritance Tax CalculatorOhio Inheritance Tax GuideOhio Step-Up Basis CalculatorOhio Post-Death Tax Filing Guide
Ohio Agencies
Medicaid Estate RecoveryUnclaimed PropertyUnemployment BenefitsPublic Pensions
Federal Agencies
Administration for Community Living (ACL)Black Lung Benefits ProgramBureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)Defense Health Agency (DHA)Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)DOD Casualty Assistance ProgramDrug Enforcement Administration (DEA)Energy Employees Occupational Illness Program (EEOICPA)Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)Federal Communications Commission (FCC)Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)Federal Election Commission (FEC)Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)Federal Student Aid (FSA)Federal Trade Commission (FTC)Indian Health Service (IHS)Internal Revenue Service (IRS)National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)NOAA Commissioned Officer CorpsOffice of Personnel Management (OPM)Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)Radiation Exposure Compensation Program (RECA)Railroad Retirement Board (RRB)September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (9/11 VCF)Social Security Administration (SSA)Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)Transportation Security Administration (TSA)U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)U.S. Coast Guard Casualty Assistance ProgramU.S. Copyright OfficeU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)U.S. Department of StateU.S. Department of the TreasuryU.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHS)U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)United States Postal Service (USPS)USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)
Home→Agencies→Unclaimed Property→Ohio

State Unclaimed Property in Ohio

The Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Unclaimed Funds, holds dormant accounts, uncashed checks, insurance proceeds, and similar assets for ten years after they are reported. Heirs of a deceased owner file a claim with proof of death and proof of authority to act for the estate.

OverviewWhen someone dies

Unclaimed Property

Ohio

com.ohio.gov/divisions-and-programs/unclaimed-funds/unclaimed-funds→

Administering agency

Ohio Department of Commerce — Division of Unclaimed Funds

Phone614-466-4433
WebsiteVisit website →

Authority

O.R.C. Chapter 169 (Unclaimed Funds); O.R.C. 169.08(I)(2) (ten-year escheat)

Verified Jul 2026

State Unclaimed Property in Ohio: key facts

Administering office
Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Unclaimed Funds.
Official search
unclaimedfunds.ohio.gov — free search and online claim filing.
Who may claim for a deceased owner
If the probate court appointed an executor or administrator, that person is the only one authorized to file. If no representative was appointed, the surviving spouse or the next of kin in the order set by R.C. 2105.06 (descent and distribution) — children, then parents, then siblings — may file. The Division will not consider an unprobated will.
Heir-claim documents
Each claim form is customized, but generally: the claimant's government-issued photo ID, Social Security card, and completed W-9; proof the deceased lived at or was associated with the reported address; a certified, unredacted death certificate showing the deceased's Social Security number; documentation of the claimant's relationship to the deceased; and probate documents current within two years. Claims of $5,000 or more require a notarized signature on the claim form.
Probate and small-estate rules
Ohio does not have a small estate affidavit (the Division will accept one issued by another state that allows them). Unclaimed funds properties over $5,000 must be submitted to probate court. Where an estate was opened, the Division accepts a court release from administration — available under O.R.C. 2113.03 for estates of $35,000 or less, or $100,000 or less when the surviving spouse inherits everything — date-stamped within two years of the claim.
Claim processing time
The Division states that an initial review takes up to 120 days, and that claims are processed in the order received. A claim that needs additional documents returns to the back of the review queue.
Deadline to claim
Ten years. Funds first reported to the director after January 1, 2016 escheat to the state on the tenth anniversary of the reporting date if no valid claim is filed by then (O.R.C. 169.08(I)(2), added by H.B. 96). The Division states that funds already reported can be claimed through January 1, 2036.

Governing law: O.R.C. Chapter 169 (Unclaimed Funds); O.R.C. 169.08(I)(2) (ten-year escheat)

When someone dies

Steps after a death in Ohio

4-step process for Ohio Department of Commerce — Division of Unclaimed Funds.

View details →
SimplyTrustSimplyTrust Editorial·Updated July 14, 2026

Sources

  • com.ohio.gov
  • codes.ohio.gov
  • dam.assets.ohio.gov

Data sourced from State Unclaimed Property in Ohio primary sources (8 pages reviewed). How we research.

Unclaimed Property

Ohio

com.ohio.gov/divisions-and-programs/unclaimed-funds/unclaimed-funds→

Administering agency

Ohio Department of Commerce — Division of Unclaimed Funds

Phone614-466-4433
WebsiteVisit website →

Authority

O.R.C. Chapter 169 (Unclaimed Funds); O.R.C. 169.08(I)(2) (ten-year escheat)

Verified Jul 2026
SimplyTrust Logo

Every family deserves a plan. We'll help.

Get startedApp StoreGoogle Play

Forms

  • Revocable Living Trust
  • Last Will and Testament
  • Pour-Over Will
  • Healthcare Power of Attorney
  • Financial Power of Attorney
  • Transfer on Death Deed
  • Vehicle Transfer on Death

Tools

  • Trust vs Will
  • Probate Calculator
  • Who Inherits
  • Estate Settlement
  • Death Tax Calculator
  • Life Insurance

Compare

  • Compare Services
  • vs LegalZoom
  • vs Trust & Will
  • vs Rocket Lawyer
  • vs Quicken WillMaker

Learn

  • Revocable Living Trusts
  • Last Will and Testaments
  • Articles
  • State Guides
  • Estate Law
  • Life Events

Directories

  • Law Firms
  • Financial Assets
  • Digital Assets
  • Government Agencies

Company

  • About
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Create a Trust

SimplyTrust is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, legal counsel, or attorney review. Information on this platform is for general informational purposes only. Use of SimplyTrust does not create an attorney-client relationship. You are solely responsible for all documents you create. For advice tailored to your circumstances, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

© 2026 SimplyTrust Software Inc. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy·Terms of Service·Security··AI Access

All content, data, and calculations are proprietary. Automated scraping, systematic downloading, or data extraction is prohibited under our Terms of Service. Product visuals are simulated for illustrative purposes and may differ from actual experience. Logos provided by Logo.dev.