Perry County Unclaimed Money Lookup
Perry County unclaimed money searches start with two places: the county offices and the state database. New Lexington is the county seat, and the Perry County Auditor and Treasurer manage any locally held unclaimed funds. The Ohio Division of Unclaimed Funds holds billions more from banks, insurance firms, and businesses statewide. A search takes just a couple of minutes and costs nothing. If you have any ties to Perry County, past or present, there may be unclaimed funds waiting for you to claim them.
Perry County Quick Facts
Perry County Auditor and Unclaimed Funds
The Perry County Auditor and Treasurer offices in New Lexington handle county-held unclaimed money. These funds come from county government operations. Vendor payments that were never picked up, refunds from county departments, and uncashed checks from Perry County all end up here. This is a separate pool from what the state holds.
Ohio law under ORC 9.39 says public officials must track all money collected through their office. If it is not paid out as required, it sits in a trust fund. The Perry County Auditor can check if any of these funds belong to you. Call or visit the courthouse in New Lexington to ask.
County unclaimed money has a five year clock in Ohio. After that, the funds revert to the county general fund. State-held funds have no expiration. The Division of Unclaimed Funds keeps that money indefinitely. So if you think Perry County might hold something for you, search sooner rather than later.
Search Perry County Lost Funds Online
The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Unclaimed Funds is the biggest source of unclaimed money in the state. Ohio holds approximately $4.8 billion in lost funds. Perry County residents can search by name for free. The system shows any matches tied to your name or past addresses.
The state just upgraded their system. Now you can search for unclaimed money, upload your claim documents, and track your claim status all in one spot at unclaimedfunds.ohio.gov. The Division finishes an initial review within 120 days of getting your claim. They approve it, ask for more papers, or deny it. In 2024, the state returned more than $149.6 million to Ohioans.
The state portal covers unclaimed funds from all Ohio counties, including Perry County.
Perry County residents can use this free search tool to find lost money from banks and businesses across the state.
Note: The state search and claim process is always free. Nobody from the state will ever ask you to pay a fee upfront.
Unclaimed Money Sources in Perry County
Under ORC Chapter 169, property becomes unclaimed when the holder cannot locate the owner over a set period. Different types of property have different dormancy periods. Bank accounts sit for five years. Wages become unclaimed after one year. Traveler's checks have a 15 year wait.
In Perry County, unclaimed funds often come from old savings accounts at local banks, uncashed payroll checks from area employers, forgotten utility deposits, and insurance proceeds that no one claimed. Life insurance benefits go dormant three years after the insured person dies. Security deposits become unclaimed after just one year. IRA accounts go dormant after three years of no activity.
Perry County businesses must examine their records annually. Dormant accounts of $50 or more require due diligence mailings to try to find the owners. If the owner still cannot be found, the business reports the funds to the Ohio Department of Commerce. Not reporting brings penalties of $100 per day and 1% interest per month under ORC 169.03. So the money does flow into the system regularly.
How to Claim Funds in Perry County
Claiming unclaimed money follows three steps. Search the database. Gather your documents. Submit your claim. The whole process can be done online or through the mail.
Most claims need a valid photo ID, proof of your current address, and a Social Security number or W-9 tax form. Claims over $3,000 may need notarization. If you are claiming for a deceased person, you will need probate documents and a death certificate. The Division's How to Claim page breaks down each type of claim. Mail goes to 77 S. High St. 20th Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215-6108. Use the Claim Status Lookup to check where things stand.
National Unclaimed Money Search
Perry County residents should also try MissingMoney.com. This is the only national unclaimed property search endorsed by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. It checks 39 states in one search. Free to use. If you have lived in other states, this is worth doing.
One in seven Americans has some form of unclaimed money. Ohio businesses report new unclaimed funds every year, so even if you found nothing last time, new funds may have shown up since then. Make it a habit to search at least once a year. The process takes less than five minutes.
Counties Near Perry County
If you have lived or worked in nearby areas, check those counties for unclaimed money too. Funds follow your name and past addresses across county lines.