How To Find Old Bank Accounts in Your Name

To find an old bank account in your name, start with the FDIC's BankFind tool, your state's unclaimed property website or a free ChexSystems report, since these cover most banks, closures and old accounts. These searches are free, though they can take some digging through government databases.

Learn how to find old bank accounts or unclaimed money, and what to watch out for along the way.

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7 Ways To Find Old Bank Accounts

How you go about finding old bank accounts depends on three main things:

• When you last accessed the account

• What account information you currently have

• What type of institution you were using

Although the methods vary, finding your accounts could mean recovering money you forgot you had. Even a small sum is still worth reclaiming since it’s rightfully yours.

These are the seven legitimate ways you can go about recovering your old bank accounts right now.

1. Check With the FDIC

Financial institutions sometimes close or merge with others, which could cause you to lose track of your accounts. The money’s still yours, but you might have trouble locating it.

If this is what happened to you, use the FDIC’s BankFind tool to track bank mergers, closures and bank name changes. It includes FDIC-insured banks dating back to 1934, so chances are yours is in there somewhere.

You can also use the FDIC’s Unclaimed Funds search tool to find cash you thought lost when your bank closed. The more information you have, the more tailored your search results.

2. Contact Your Bank

For still-active accounts, your best bet might be to reach out to the bank or credit union directly. Either call their customer service team or visit a local branch. If neither option is available to you, use the institution’s online chat feature instead.

You’ll need to verify your identity, so be prepared with some form of government-issued ID and your Social Security number. You may also need your account information, which you can locate on old bank statements or paper checks.

3. Use Your State’s Unclaimed Property Website

All 50 states have their own unclaimed property website, which you can use to find lost property. You’ll need some basic information to use it.

For example, North Carolina lets you search for funds using your first and last name, city and ZIP code. If you have a reference number from the state, you can include that as well.

If your search comes back empty, do the same search with other states you’ve lived or worked in. Even if you only resided there for a few months, it’s worth checking if you have unclaimed funds.

4. Use NAUPA’s Unclaimed Property Database

The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) operates Unclaimed.org, which has an interactive map you can use to find your state or province’s unclaimed property program. It includes all 50 states as well as several Canadian provinces and U.S. territories, such as British Columbia, Alberta, New Brunswick, Quebec and Puerto Rico.

Going this route can be a huge time-saver if you’ve moved around a lot, or if you’ve opened different types of bank accounts in multiple different states. That’s because you don’t need to search for every state’s website individually. Simply click and you’ll be redirected to the appropriate website.

5. Search With MissingMoney

You don’t need a ton of information to find old bank accounts. In the case of MissingMoney.com, all you need to get started is your legal name. If you happen to know the city and state/province where your account was located, that’ll help narrow down your search results.

Through this database, you’ll find information like:

• Owner name on the unclaimed property

• Co-owner’s name, if applicable

• Reporting business name, often the bank or credit union

• Full or partial address

• Where the property is held, such as a state or province

• Estimated amount

If you find an entry that might be yours, click “Claim.” Then, simply follow the prompts to file your claim. You’ll need your current contact information, date of birth, Social Security number and an electronic signature.

Be sure to only submit a claim for property you’re certain actually belongs to you.

6. Search ChexSystems

ChexSystems is a national reporting agency that tracks people’s banking history. You can get a copy of your report for free on the official ChexSystems website. Once you have it, look it over for closed checking or savings accounts.

This won’t directly get you those missing funds. But what it will do is give you a good idea of where to look for old or missing bank accounts.

7. Search the NCUA

The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) holds unclaimed deposits from liquidated credit unions. In other words, if you had an account at a credit union that closed, you might be able to use the NCUA’s directory to find your funds.

Be prepared to complete a verification form. The more information you provide, the faster the NCUA can find your property.

Beyond Bank Accounts: Where To Find Unclaimed Money

State and federal agencies together hold a large amount of unclaimed assets, some of which might be yours. If you still can’t find the money in your bank account, contact individual federal agencies to find out if they have property that belongs to you.

A few options you have here:

• Department of Labor for missing paychecks

• Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for uncashed refunds, which generally must be claimed within a few years of filing

• U.S. Treasury for savings bonds

Beyond that, search your home or wallet for any old gift cards. Some might still be valid and have unused funds. Check your digital wallet while you’re at it, since there could be cash sitting there.

Check any debit or credit cards for unredeemed cash back or other rewards too. The amount may be small, but it's still money you've already earned.

What About Safe Deposit Boxes and Estate Claims?

If your old bank held a safe deposit box, any contents left behind after the account closed may also end up with your state's unclaimed property program.

Banks generally turn over box contents through the same escheatment process used for dormant accounts, so you can often search for these items through your state's unclaimed property website or NAUPA's Unclaimed.org, the same way you would search for cash.

Finding Unclaimed Retirement Accounts

Funds in your old bank accounts aren’t the only thing that can go missing. You might also have lost track of your 401(k) or other retirement account funds. This is fairly common, especially when you move around or change jobs frequently.

To find your old retirement accounts, you’ve got a couple of options. The first is to contact your old employer’s human resources department and ask about the account. They should at least be able to point you in the right direction.

You can also check out:

• Retirement Savings Lost and Found Database

• The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation

• The State of Unclaimed Property Registry

• The National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits

You’ll typically need some personal identifying info, like your Social Security number, so be prepared for that. You might also need an account number.

What To Watch Out For

Claiming lost bank account funds almost always calls for sensitive personal information. Given this, only go through the official channels when searching for old accounts or submitting claims. There’s no need to risk your own security or getting targeted for scams.

• If you’re not sure about the legitimacy of a site, check for tags like “an official website of the United States government.” Also, look for “HTTPS” in the URL.

• If someone contacts you claiming they’ve found your lost property, it’s most likely a scam. Official government organizations won’t be the ones to reach out. Report them to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or, at the very least, ignore their requests for information. 

Key Terms

• Unclaimed property: Money or assets, such as an inactive bank account or uncashed check, that a company turns over to the state after no owner contact for a set period.

• Dormancy period: The stretch of inactivity after which property is legally considered unclaimed and must be reported to the state. This period varies by state and account type, so check your state's unclaimed property website for the exact timeline.

• Escheatment: The legal process of transferring unclaimed funds from a dormant account to a state government, which then holds them for the owner.

• NAUPA: The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, which runs MissingMoney.com and maps every state and provincial program.

• ChexSystems: A consumer reporting agency that tracks banking history and provides a free report showing closed checking and savings accounts.

• Liquidated credit union: A credit union that has been closed by the NCUA, whose unclaimed member deposits can be recovered through the NCUA's directory.

• FDIC BankFind: A federal database for locating FDIC-insured banks and tracing mergers, closures and name changes back to 1934.

Sources

• NAUPA. "What is unclaimed property?"

• NCUA. "Unclaimed Deposits."

• U.S. Department of Labor. "Retirement Savings Lost and Found."

• FTC. "Consumer Advice."

Parts of this article were created with AI assistance. MoneyLion editors reviewed, fact-checked and edited the final version and are responsible for its accuracy.