Think you got a letter from us? Verify it. Call your county before you call us — we'll even give you the number.

How to claim your surplus funds yourself — for free.

We mean this. You do not need us. Below is the honest, complete process to claim your funds directly through the county at no cost. If after reading it you’d rather we handle the paperwork, we’re here — but plenty of people do this themselves, and we’ll never pretend otherwise.

Before anything: verify the money exists

  1. Find the office that held the sale (usually the county tax collector, treasurer, or clerk of court).
  2. Call and ask: “Do you hold surplus funds / excess proceeds for case number [____], and are they still unclaimed?”
  3. Confirm the amount and the claim deadline. Write both down.

Don’t have your county’s number? Enter the code from your letter here and we’ll show it to you — or just search “[your county] + surplus funds” and use the number on the county’s own website.

Step-by-step DIY guide

  1. Get the county’s claim packet. Ask the office how to request the surplus-funds / excess-proceeds claim form. Many post it online.
  2. Confirm you’re an eligible claimant. Usually the former owner of record at the time of sale, or their heirs. Ask the county who is eligible and what proof they require.
  3. Gather your documents. Commonly: completed county claim form; notarized affidavit of ownership/identity; copy of your government photo ID; proof of ownership at time of sale (e.g., the recorded deed); W-9.
    If you’re claiming as an heir: certified death certificate, proof of heirship, and possibly a probate estate must be opened first.
  4. Get things notarized and certified. Counties usually require certified copies (from the issuing office), not photocopies. A notary (bank, shipping store, or mobile notary) handles the affidavit. Budget roughly $100–$200 for notary and certified copies.
  5. File the claim. Submit to the county the way they specify (mail, in person, or a court petition). In some [STATE] cases a claim must be filed as a court petition — if so, you may want a lawyer for that step. Ask the county whether your case requires a petition.
  6. Follow up. Call periodically for status. Processing commonly takes [X–X] months. Keep copies of everything and a log of who you spoke to and when.
  7. Receive your funds. The county issues a check or the court orders disbursement.

What it costs to do it yourself

  • County filing: usually free or a small fee.
  • Notary + certified copies: ~$100–$200.
  • Court filing fee (if a petition is required): varies.
  • Your time: expect several hours plus a few months of follow-up.

Downloadable checklist

[Download the free DIY checklist (PDF) — attach file before launch] — the steps above on one page, nothing to sign, no email required.

If we later gate this behind an email, the opt-out must be one click and the file must also be downloadable with no email — the point of this page is that it’s genuinely free and no-strings.

If you’d rather not

Doing this yourself is real work — notarized affidavits, certified documents, maybe a court filing, months of calls. If you’d rather hand it off, that’s exactly what we do, for [25]% of what’s recovered, paid only if we succeed. Either way, the money is yours.

Have us handle it →