How Do I Claim a Deceased Person's Unclaimed Property in Connecticut?

In Connecticut, a deceased owner's unclaimed property is claimed from the Connecticut Office of the State Treasurer, Unclaimed Property Division. Only owners of the property or their legal heirs may file a claim.

State Where the Person Lived

Where the Estate Stands

Letters have been issuedA small estate affidavitNothing has been filed

Property Held in This State

Connecticut names 4 routes for a deceased owner's unclaimed property.

Where to search and file

Connecticut Office of the State Treasurer, Unclaimed Property Division

Phone: 1-800-833-7318
Hours: Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time
Website: Search and claim →
Mail: Office of the Treasurer Unclaimed Property Division PO Box 5065 Hartford, CT 06102

The CT Big List at ctbiglist.gov is the free official search, and a claim is initiated from the search result.

Fiduciary certificate from the Probate Court

For: The executor or administrator the Probate Court appointed for the estate
Conditions: The claimant certifies that the appointment is valid and has not been rescinded or revoked, and produces the original letter or certificate of appointment if asked.
Documents: A signed claim form
A copy of photo identification
An official document showing the claimant's Social Security number
A fiduciary certificate from the Probate Court
The other documents listed on the claim form emailed after the claim is started

Decree to transfer, petitioner's certificate or small estate affidavit from the Probate Court

This route is for an estate of $40,000 or less.

For: The person the Probate Court's papers on a small estate permit to file the claim
Limit: An estate of $40,000 or less
Conditions: The limit counts the decedent's solely owned personal property, leaving out property that passes outside probate.
The decedent owned no real property in Connecticut in their sole name.
Documents: A signed claim form
A copy of photo identification
An official document showing the claimant's Social Security number
The decree to transfer, petitioner's certificate or small estate affidavit from the Probate Court
The other documents listed on the claim form emailed after the claim is started

Treasurer's sworn affidavit of entitlement with a certified claim

For: The sole heir, or an heir with the attestations of all the other heirs with a valid claim
Limit: Property held for the owner of under $500
Conditions: The property was owned by the deceased owner alone.
No affidavit in lieu of administration or similar petition has been filed in a Probate Court, or more than a year has passed since the last decree to transfer personal property was issued.
Documents: A certified claim
A sworn affidavit under penalty of perjury in the Treasurer's form: the sole heir's affirmation, or the attestations of all the other heirs

Treasurer's sworn affidavit of entitlement with a certified claim, after a closed estate

For: The fiduciary a Probate Court appointed, or the heirs and beneficiaries, of an estate already closed
Limit: Property held for the owner of under $500
Conditions: The property was owned by the deceased owner alone.
The estate was closed more than a year before the property was discovered.
A former fiduciary affirms that they will distribute the funds as the law requires.
Documents: A certified claim
A sworn affidavit under penalty of perjury, in the Treasurer's form, from the former fiduciary or carrying the attestations of the heirs or beneficiaries

Notarization and finders

Notarization: The program states no notarization rule.
Finders: A finder agreement is not valid if made within two years after the property is reported and delivered to the Treasurer, or if the fee is over 10 percent of its value. It must be written, signed by the owner, and state the property, the owner's share and that the owner can claim directly for free.

Federal and national databases

MissingMoney.com: The national database endorsed by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators searches the participating states at once for free and links to each one's official program. Most states participate; a state that does not is searched on its own official site.
The Treasury (TreasuryDirect): Unredeemed savings bonds; claims are made on FS Form 1048, as the Treasury Hunt search was withdrawn
PBGC: Unclaimed pensions from terminated plans, searched at pbgc.gov
The IRS: Undelivered tax refunds
The FDIC: Unclaimed deposits and checks from failed banks, searched by name, business name or check number
The NCUA: Unclaimed share accounts at liquidated federally insured credit unions, listed by last name and first initialamacmail@ncua.gov
The NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator: A deceased person's life insurance and annuities; a participating insurer contacts the beneficiary if it finds onehelp@naic.org
The VA: Unclaimed VA life insurance

Governing law: Conn. Gen. Stat. Title 3, Chapter 32 (Sec. 3-64a, 3-65a, 3-70a)

General information about claiming a deceased person's unclaimed property, not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions. Data verified Aug 24, 2026

File the claim with the Connecticut Office of the State Treasurer, Unclaimed Property Division. The search and the claim start at the office's site. The Treasurer's claims FAQ says claims typically require a signed claim form, photo identification, the Social Security number, proof of address and proof of ownership. Additional documents depend on the type of property and are listed on the claim itself.

Heirs can claim without letters from a probate court through the Decree to transfer, petitioner's certificate or small estate affidavit from the Probate Court, for an estate of $40,000 or less. Conn. Gen. Stat. 3-70a(g) lets the Treasurer pay a claimant directly, without a probate transfer decree or fiduciary certificate, for solely owned property of a deceased owner worth less than $500 in the aggregate, on a certified claim plus a sworn affidavit of entitlement. The claim on that route includes: A signed claim form; A copy of photo identification; An official document showing the claimant's Social Security number; The decree to transfer, petitioner's certificate or small estate affidavit from the Probate Court; The other documents listed on the claim form emailed after the claim is started.

Only owners of the property or their legal heirs may file a claim. With letters from a probate court, the claim is made by the executor or administrator the Probate Court appointed for the estate.

Every state where the person had an address can hold some of the property: the holding company reports it to the state of the owner's last-known address, and to its own home state where it has no address on record. MissingMoney.com searches most states at once. Insurance, savings bonds, pensions, refunds and failed-bank deposits sit in federal and national databases: the Treasury (TreasuryDirect), PBGC, the IRS, the FDIC, the NCUA, the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator and the VA.

A finder agreement is not valid if made within two years after the property is reported and delivered to the Treasurer, or if the fee is over 10 percent of its value. It must be written, signed by the owner, and state the property, the owner's share and that the owner can claim directly for free. The same property can be claimed directly through the state's own program, which charges no fee.

Claiming Unclaimed Property in Connecticut

Property goes to the state of the owner's last-known address in the holding company's records. Where the records show no address, it goes to the state where the company is organized, so a deceased person's property can sit in any state they once lived in or where a company that owed them is based. A search for a deceased Connecticut resident therefore covers Connecticut and every other state where the person lived, worked or held an account.

Connecticut names 4 routes for a deceased owner's unclaimed property. With letters from a probate court, the claim is made by the executor or administrator the Probate Court appointed for the estate. Without letters, heirs claim through the Decree to transfer, petitioner's certificate or small estate affidavit from the Probate Court, for an estate of $40,000 or less.

Whether the claim form needs a notary is the program's own rule: The program states no notarization rule.

Connecticut holds the property until a valid claim is paid. Conn. Gen. Stat. 3-70a(a) allows a claim at any time after the property is surrendered to the Treasurer, and the claims FAQ says there is no time limit. The Treasurer holds the property as custodian until the rightful owner or their heirs claim it. Conn. Gen. Stat. 3-70a(b) has the Treasurer consider each claim within 90 days of filing.

Searching and claiming are free through a state's official unclaimed property program or missingmoney.com. Third-party finders or locators charge a fee, usually a percentage of the amount recovered, and the same property can always be claimed directly at no cost.

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated October 26, 2026

Legal Sources

Data sourced from Connecticut statutes and official state code. How we research.

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How Do I Claim a Deceased Person's Unclaimed Property in Connecticut?

Connecticut names 4 routes for a deceased owner's unclaimed property.

Where to search and file

Fiduciary certificate from the Probate CourtCT Big List claim text (claimant relationship descriptions and claim certification)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Decree to transfer, petitioner's certificate or small estate affidavit from the Probate CourtConn. Gen. Stat. 45a-273 (settlement of small estates without probate of will or letters of administration)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Treasurer's sworn affidavit of entitlement with a certified claimConn. Gen. Stat. Title 3, Chapter 32 (Sec. 3-64a, 3-65a, 3-70a)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Treasurer's sworn affidavit of entitlement with a certified claim, after a closed estateConn. Gen. Stat. Title 3, Chapter 32 (Sec. 3-64a, 3-65a, 3-70a)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Notarization and finders

Federal and national databases

Is this your situation?

Named as Executor

Death of a Parent

Inheritance

Forms for Settling an Estate in Connecticut

Petition for Probate and Letters

Renunciation of Executor

Affidavit of Heirship

Small Estate Affidavit

Estate Inventory

Estate Closing

IRS Form 1310

Letter of Instruction

Tools for Settling an Estate in Connecticut

How Much Can an Executor Charge?

Can I Self-File Probate?

How Do I Get Letters Testamentary?

What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?

What Happens When an Estate Is Insolvent?

How Do I Open an Estate Account When Someone Dies?

What Social Security Survivor Benefits Can I Get?

Hire a Connecticut Probate Attorney

Your kids shouldn't have to do this.

Connecticut Estate Settlement Resources

Connecticut names 4 routes for a deceased owner's unclaimed property.

Where to search and file

Fiduciary certificate from the Probate CourtCT Big List claim text (claimant relationship descriptions and claim certification)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Decree to transfer, petitioner's certificate or small estate affidavit from the Probate CourtConn. Gen. Stat. 45a-273 (settlement of small estates without probate of will or letters of administration)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Treasurer's sworn affidavit of entitlement with a certified claimConn. Gen. Stat. Title 3, Chapter 32 (Sec. 3-64a, 3-65a, 3-70a)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Treasurer's sworn affidavit of entitlement with a certified claim, after a closed estateConn. Gen. Stat. Title 3, Chapter 32 (Sec. 3-64a, 3-65a, 3-70a)Verified Oct 26, 2026View source

Notarization and finders

Federal and national databases

Fiduciary certificate from the Probate Court

Decree to transfer, petitioner's certificate or small estate affidavit from the Probate Court

Treasurer's sworn affidavit of entitlement with a certified claim

Treasurer's sworn affidavit of entitlement with a certified claim, after a closed estate

Fiduciary certificate from the Probate Court

Decree to transfer, petitioner's certificate or small estate affidavit from the Probate Court

Treasurer's sworn affidavit of entitlement with a certified claim

Treasurer's sworn affidavit of entitlement with a certified claim, after a closed estate