Serving all 50 states

Money left over from your foreclosure or tax sale may still be yours.

When a property anywhere in the United States sells at foreclosure auction for more than what was owed, the extra money — the surplus — is deposited with the court or county until the rightful owner claims it. We find it, file it, and recover it for you.

Check If You're Owed Money See How It Works

No upfront fees — we only get paid when you do

Court-filed claims handled start to finish

Nationwide reach — every state, every county courthouse

$4.2M+

Recovered for American families

US states covered

6–9 mo

Typical court timeline

Upfront cost to you

Free eligibility check

Find out in two minutes if a court is holding money for you

Answer a few questions about the property and we'll review the court and county records for unclaimed surplus funds — free, confidential, and with no obligation.

We search court surplus records and county foreclosure filings in all 50 states
A recovery specialist reviews your case within one business day
If there’s money to claim, we handle every court filing for you
You pay nothing unless we recover your funds

Prefer to talk?

(800) 642-2443

Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm ET. Free consultation.

Step 1 of 2

Which state was the property in?

What kind of sale was it?

Your connection to the property

How it works

From unclaimed money to your mailbox, in four steps

Surplus claim processes vary by state, but most run through the local court or county treasurer and typically take six to nine months. We manage every step so you don't have to navigate it alone.

We locate your funds

Tell us about the property. We search court surplus records, trustee and sheriff sale reports, and county filings across all 50 states to confirm whether surplus money exists and exactly how much is being held.

We prepare your claim

Our team gathers deeds, payoff statements, heir documentation, and lien records, then prepares a complete surplus money claim under your state’s statutes — the paperwork most claims get rejected over.

We file with the court

Your claim is filed with the court or county treasurer in the jurisdiction where the property sold, then heard by a judge. We respond to any objections from other claimants or lienholders on your behalf.

You receive your money

Once the judge signs the order, the court releases your funds. Only then is our contingency fee deducted — if we don’t recover, you owe us nothing.

Unclaimed surplus funds can eventually escheat to the state. Deadlines matter — the sooner a claim is filed, the stronger it is.

What are surplus funds?

The money most former homeowners never know they're owed

Every year, billions of dollars from foreclosure and tax sales across America go unclaimed — sitting with county treasurers and the courts because former owners were never told the money exists, or assumed the sale took everything.

Foreclosure auctions

When a foreclosed home sells at public auction for more than the judgment owed, the difference is surplus — and in every state it belongs to the former owner, not the bank.

Tax foreclosures

When a county or municipality forecloses on unpaid property taxes and the property is worth more than the debt, the former owner or heirs can claim the remaining equity.

Heirs and estates

Surplus funds don’t disappear when an owner passes away. Spouses, children, and estate representatives can claim what’s owed with the right documentation.

The two paths to surplus

Two kinds of sales, one thing in common: the extra money is yours

Nearly every surplus claim in America traces back to one of these two events. Here's exactly how each one works — and where your money ends up.

Type 01

Municipal & County Tax Sales

When property taxes go unpaid, the county or municipality can seize and sell the property to recover the debt. But the government is only entitled to what it’s owed — not the full value of your home.

How the surplus is created

If your property sells at a tax sale for more than the back taxes, penalties, and costs owed, the difference is surplus. A home with $12,000 in unpaid taxes that sells for $140,000 leaves roughly $128,000 that belongs to you — not the county.

Who can claim it

The former owner of record, and in many states their heirs or estate. Some states also give lienholders a window to claim first, which is why timing matters.

Where the money sits

With the county treasurer, tax commissioner, or clerk of court — depending on the state — until a valid claim is filed and approved.

The catch

Tax sale deadlines are among the shortest in the country. Several states give former owners as little as one to three years to claim before the money is absorbed by the county permanently.

Check if you're owed money

Type 02

Mortgage Foreclosure Sales

When a lender forecloses, the property is sold at public auction to satisfy the judgment. The bank can only take what it’s owed — anything above that is surplus, and it belongs to the former owner.

How the surplus is created

If the winning bid at auction exceeds the total judgment — the loan balance, interest, legal fees, and any junior liens paid through the sale — the overage is deposited with the court as surplus funds.

Who can claim it

The former owner is first in line in most states, followed by heirs and estate representatives. Junior lienholders may also file, which is why a properly prepared claim matters.

Where the money sits

With the clerk of the court that handled the foreclosure, held in the court’s registry until a judge approves a disbursement to the rightful claimant.

The catch

Courts don’t notify you in plain language — and many never notify you at all. Claims require exact paperwork, and a rejected or late filing can mean losing the money to the state.

Check if you're owed money

For professionals

For Surplus Recovery Professionals

Partner with us to recover your clients' surplus. If you locate claimants or work surplus leads, we handle the legal heavy lifting — filings, hearings, and disbursements — in all 50 states.

Become a partner

Nationwide filing coverage

We file and litigate surplus claims in every state, so you never turn away a lead because it’s outside your territory.

Attorney-grade paperwork

Complete claim packages — deeds, heir documentation, lien research — prepared to each court’s exact requirements.

Transparent referral fees

Agreed compensation on every funded claim you refer, paid promptly when the court releases the money.

Your client relationship stays yours

We work under your brand or ours — white-label options available for established recovery firms.

Nationwide coverage

Serving all 50 states, coast to coast

Surplus claims are filed in the state and county where the property was sold. We work in every US jurisdiction — from Los Angeles to Miami to Honolulu — and know the local court clerks, treasurers, and procedures in each one.

Northeast

New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New England and more

Southeast

Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee and more

Midwest & Plains

Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Texas, the Dakotas and more

West & Pacific

California, Arizona, Washington, Nevada, Hawaii and more

Why Surplus Funds Network

Recovery done the right way, for American families

You've already been through a foreclosure or tax sale. The claim process shouldn't be another ordeal — or another risk.

A recovery specialist meeting with a client

Pure contingency — zero upfront cost

Our fee is a percentage of what we recover, collected only after the court releases your money. If we recover nothing, you pay nothing. Ever.

Every state’s court procedure, mastered

Surplus claim rules differ state to state — different statutes, deadlines, and notice requirements. We file these claims in courts across the country every week — it’s all we do.

Complete, rejection-proof filings

Most self-filed claims stall over missing documents or improper notice to lienholders. Our packages are built to clear court review the first time.

We protect you from predatory offers

Some firms buy claims for pennies on the dollar. We work for a fair contingency so you keep the maximum share of your own money.

You get updates, not silence

A dedicated case manager, a real person, updates you at every milestone — verification, hearing, order signed, check issued.

Heirs and estates welcome

Claiming on behalf of a parent or spouse who passed? We handle the extra probate and kinship documentation these cases require.

Client Stories

Americans who got their money back

Real recoveries for homeowners and heirs from coast to coast — foreclosure auctions, tax sales, and estate claims in courts across the country.

“I had no idea money was sitting with the court after my mother’s house sold. Surplus Funds Network found it, handled every piece of paperwork, and the check arrived without me ever stepping into a courthouse.”

Dorothy M.

Heir claim, Florida

$38,400 recovered

“After the foreclosure I thought everything was gone. They explained the surplus process in plain English, kept me updated at every step, and never asked for a dollar upfront.”

James R.

Foreclosure surplus, Texas

$52,150 recovered

“Two other companies offered to buy my claim for a fraction of its value. This team filed it properly with the court and I kept far more of my own money. Worth every bit of the wait.”

Angela T.

Foreclosure surplus, Arizona

$27,900 recovered

“I live in Oregon now, but the property that sold was back in Georgia. They handled everything across state lines — filings, notarizations, the court hearing — and I never had to travel.”

Marcus W.

Out-of-state heir claim, Georgia

$44,700 recovered

“The county had been holding our tax sale surplus for almost two years and we didn’t know it existed. One phone call turned into a check that paid off our medical bills.”

Linda & Paul S.

Tax foreclosure surplus, Ohio

$19,850 recovered

“As the executor of my uncle’s estate I was drowning in paperwork already. They took the surplus claim completely off my plate and kept the probate court and the county treasurer straight for me.”

Rachel K.

Estate claim, California

$61,300 recovered

Testimonials reflect individual experiences; results vary by case. Names abbreviated for privacy.

Common questions

Everything people ask before they claim

Straight answers about the money, the process, and what it costs. Still unsure? Start a free check — it takes two minutes.

If your property was sold at a foreclosure auction or through a tax foreclosure for more than the total debt owed, the difference is surplus money held by the court or county treasurer. Most people are never notified. Our free eligibility check searches the court and county records for your property, in any state, and tells you definitively whether funds exist.

The court won't call you about your money. We will.

Every month surplus funds sit unclaimed, they move closer to escheating to the state. A two-minute check costs nothing and could recover thousands that are legally yours.

Start My Free Eligibility Check (800) 642-2443