State Unclaimed Property in Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Department of Revenue holds unclaimed property — dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance payouts, and similar assets — as custodian until the owner or their heirs claim it. Heirs and personal representatives of a deceased owner search the state database and file a claim with proof of death and authority to act for the estate.
Administering agency
Wisconsin Department of Revenue — Unclaimed Property
Authority
Wis. Stat. ch. 177 (Uniform Unclaimed Property Act)
State Unclaimed Property in Wisconsin: key facts
- Administering agency
- Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Unclaimed Property Unit. Phone (608) 264-4594; email DORUnclaimedProperty@wisconsin.gov; mail WI Dept. of Revenue – Unclaimed Property, P.O. Box 8982, Madison, WI 53708-8982.
- Official search
- tap.revenue.wi.gov/UCPSearch (free state search). DOR also directs claimants to missingmoney.com to search for unclaimed property nationwide.
- Heir claim documents
- Proof of Social Security number and a government ID plus current address for the claimant; the decedent's Social Security number, date of birth, and date of death (death certificate); an Affidavit of Heirship showing the heirs, plus an Affidavit of Service showing the other heirs were notified; a Transfer by Affidavit for a claim under $50,000, or a court order at $50,000 or more. If the decedent or their spouse may have received Medicaid, DOR also requires the certified mail return receipt from the DHS Estate Recovery Program for the Transfer by Affidavit. If the estate is open, DOR instead requires the domiciliary letters, the estate's tax identification number, and the decedent's Social Security number.
- Processing time
- DOR asks claimants to allow up to 12 weeks for a claim to be assigned for review; once a claim is approved, payment takes 7 to 10 days. By statute, DOR must allow or deny a filed claim within 90 days (Wis. Stat. 177.0904(2)).
- Small estate option
- Wisconsin allows a Transfer by Affidavit when the decedent's property subject to administration in the state does not exceed $50,000 in gross value (Wis. Stat. 867.03(1g)), avoiding full probate. The form is published by the State Bar of Wisconsin, and DOR accepts it in place of domiciliary letters. For unclaimed property claims specifically, DOR requires a court order if the property subject to administration is $50,000 or more.
Governing law: Wis. Stat. ch. 177 (Uniform Unclaimed Property Act)
Steps to take when someone dies
- Search tap.revenue.wi.gov/UCPSearch for the deceased's name and prior addresses, and run a nationwide search at missingmoney.com.
- File a claim as the heir or personal representative with:
- Death certificate for the owner, showing date of birth and date of death
- Government-issued ID, proof of Social Security number, and current address for the claimant
- An Affidavit of Heirship and an Affidavit of Service showing the other heirs were notified
- A Transfer by Affidavit for a claim under $50,000, or a court order at $50,000 or more
- If the decedent or their spouse may have received Medicaid: the certified mail return receipt from the DHS Estate Recovery Program for the Transfer by Affidavit
- If the estate is open: the domiciliary letters, the estate's tax identification number, and the decedent's Social Security number
- Allow up to 12 weeks for the claim to be assigned for review; DOR must allow or deny it within 90 days of filing, and payment follows approval in 7 to 10 days.
Frequently asked questions
Search tap.revenue.wi.gov/UCPSearch, then file a claim as an heir or personal representative. You will submit a death certificate, your own ID and address, an Affidavit of Heirship and Affidavit of Service, and either a Transfer by Affidavit (claims under $50,000) or a court order (claims of $50,000 or more). If the estate is open, DOR takes the domiciliary letters, the estate tax ID, and the decedent's Social Security number instead.
The Department of Revenue asks claimants to allow up to 12 weeks for a claim to be assigned for review, and 7 to 10 days after approval to receive payment. Wis. Stat. 177.0904(2) requires the Department to allow or deny a filed claim, and notify the claimant, within 90 days.
For ordinary unclaimed property, no. The state takes custody of the property and is responsible for safekeeping it (Wis. Stat. 177.0604(1)), chapter 177 sets no time limit on an owner or heir filing a claim, and the Department must pay a claimant who establishes ownership (Wis. Stat. 177.0904(1)(a)). One exception: an escheated estate — money reported to the state after a probate court could not locate the heirs — can only be claimed for ten years, and the claim goes to the county probate court that reported the funds rather than to DOR (Wis. Stat. 863.39(3)(a)).
Sources
Data sourced from State Unclaimed Property in Wisconsin primary sources (10 pages reviewed). How we research.
Administering agency
Wisconsin Department of Revenue — Unclaimed Property
Authority
Wis. Stat. ch. 177 (Uniform Unclaimed Property Act)