The Challenge of Locating a Deceased Person's Assets
When a loved one passes away, one of the most difficult tasks the family faces is figuring out exactly what they owned. This is especially challenging when there is no will, no financial advisor, and no organized list of accounts. It is not uncommon for bank accounts, insurance policies, and retirement funds to go unclaimed simply because surviving family members did not know they existed.
The good news is that there are systematic methods and free tools that can help you uncover virtually every financial account. This guide walks through each one, starting with the most effective approaches.
Step One: Get Legal Authority
Before any financial institution will speak with you about the deceased's accounts, you need legal standing. Without it, privacy laws prevent banks, brokerages, and insurance companies from disclosing account information — even to close family members.
If There Is a Will
The executor named in the will petitions the probate court for Letters Testamentary, which grant the authority to act on behalf of the estate.
If There Is No Will
A family member petitions the probate court for Letters of Administration. Courts typically appoint administrators based on a priority order: surviving spouse first, then adult children, then other relatives. The process varies by state but generally requires filing a petition, providing a certified death certificate, and attending a brief court hearing.
Order Extra Death Certificates
Request 10 to 15 certified copies of the death certificate from the vital records office or funeral home. Every institution you contact will need an original certified copy, and the process is much smoother when you have them on hand from the start.
The Physical Search: Start in the Home
Before turning to databases and formal requests, a thorough search of the deceased's home often turns up the most useful leads.
What to Look For
- Checkbooks, bank statements, and deposit slips
- Brokerage and investment account statements
- Insurance policy documents
- Tax returns from the last 2 to 3 years
- Deeds, vehicle titles, and loan documents
- Safe deposit box keys or rental receipts
- Handwritten notes or lists of accounts
- Business cards from financial advisors, insurance agents, or attorneys
Where to Look
Check the home office, filing cabinets, desk drawers, bedside tables, safes, and closets. Important documents are sometimes stored in unexpected places — inside books, taped behind drawers, or in shoeboxes.
Tax Returns: The Single Most Valuable Document
If you find nothing else, find the tax returns. The deceased's federal and state tax returns from the past 2 to 3 years are the single most effective tool for discovering financial accounts, because nearly every account that earns income leaves a trail on the tax return.
What Each Form Reveals
| Tax Form | What It Reveals |
|---|---|
| 1099-INT | Bank and savings accounts earning interest |
| 1099-DIV | Stock and mutual fund holdings paying dividends |
| 1099-B | Brokerage account activity (securities sales) |
| 1099-R | Retirement account distributions (401k, IRA, pension) |
| W-2 | Employers (which may have retirement plans or group insurance) |
| Schedule B | Every account with interest or dividends over $10 |
| Schedule D | Capital gains and losses from investment sales |
| Schedule E | Rental property income and partnership interests |
| Schedule K-1 | Business or partnership ownership interests |
Request an IRS Transcript
If you cannot find the original tax returns, you can request a transcript from the IRS using Form 4506-T (Request for Transcript of Tax Return). Enter the taxpayer name as "Estate of [Decedent Name]" with the decedent's Social Security number, and include your Letters of Administration or Letters Testamentary. The transcript includes income information from W-2s, 1099s, and 1098s filed by third parties, which can help you identify accounts.
Credit Reports: A Comprehensive Account Inventory
Requesting the deceased's credit report from all three major bureaus is one of the most effective ways to find accounts, particularly credit cards, mortgages, and loans. Creditors report to different bureaus, so requesting from all three gives you the most complete picture.
How to Request
You will need to mail or call each bureau with a certified death certificate, your photo identification, and your Letters of Administration or Letters Testamentary.
- Equifax: Call 866-349-5191 or mail to P.O. Box 105139, Atlanta, GA 30348
- Experian: Call 888-397-3742 or mail to P.O. Box 2002, Allen, TX 75013
- TransUnion: Call 800-916-8800 or mail to P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016
What You Will Find
Credit reports list every credit account (credit cards, mortgages, auto loans, personal loans, lines of credit) along with the name and contact information for each lender. This gives you a roadmap for tracking down accounts and outstanding debts.
The Mail Strategy
One of the simplest and most effective long-term strategies is forwarding the deceased's mail to your address.
How It Works
- Visit a Post Office in person with your Letters of Administration and a death certificate (this cannot be done online)
- Mail forwarding lasts up to 12 months
- Monitor incoming mail for quarterly and annual statements from banks, brokerages, and insurance companies, as well as property tax bills, loan statements, and creditor notices
Why It Matters
Some accounts only send statements quarterly or annually. A bank CD might only generate one statement per year. An investment account might only report dividends quarterly. By forwarding mail for a full year, you catch accounts that would otherwise go undetected.
Tip: Also register the deceased with DMAchoice.org's Deceased Do Not Contact list to reduce junk mail, making it easier to spot legitimate financial correspondence.
The Digital Search
People increasingly manage their finances online, making the deceased's digital devices an important source of information.
Email Accounts
Search the deceased's email for keywords like "account," "statement," "balance," "deposit," "policy," and "transfer." Look for welcome emails from financial institutions, transaction notifications, and electronic statements.
Phone and Computer
- Check for banking and investment apps (Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard, Robinhood, etc.)
- Check for payment apps (Venmo, PayPal, Zelle, Cash App) that may have account balances
- Review browser bookmarks and saved passwords
- Check for password manager apps (1Password, LastPass, Bitwarden) that may contain a complete list of online accounts
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency presents a unique challenge because wallets cannot be accessed without the private key or recovery phrase (typically 12 or 24 words). Search the deceased's belongings for hardware wallets (Ledger, Trezor), written recovery phrases, or any notes about crypto holdings. For exchange accounts (Coinbase, Gemini, Kraken), you can contact the exchange with a death certificate and Letters of Administration to initiate a transfer.
Asset-by-Asset Search Guide
Bank Accounts
- Call banks and credit unions in areas where the deceased lived or worked
- Use the FDIC BankFind tool at fdic.gov to track down banks that merged, changed names, or closed
- Check FDIC Unclaimed Funds at closedbanks.fdic.gov/funds for deposits from failed banks
- Search NCUA records for credit union accounts
Life Insurance Policies
- Use the free NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator at eapps.naic.org/life-policy-locator — enter the deceased's information and participating companies search their records (this service has helped connect consumers with over $6 billion in unclaimed benefits)
- Check with the deceased's current and former employers for group life insurance
- Review bank statements for recurring premium payments to insurance companies
- Several states operate their own search tools (New York, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon)
Retirement Accounts (401k, Pension, IRA)
- Contact former employers and ask about 401(k) plans, pensions, and deferred compensation
- Search the PBGC Missing Participants database at pbgc.gov for unclaimed pension benefits (or call 1-800-400-7242)
- Check the DOL Retirement Savings Lost and Found at lostandfound.dol.gov, or contact EBSA at 1-866-444-3272
Stocks, Bonds, and Brokerage Accounts
- Review tax forms (1099-DIV, 1099-B, 1099-INT) for brokerage firm names
- Check bank statements for dividend deposits or transfers to investment accounts
- Contact known firms (Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard, etc.) with your legal documents
U.S. Savings Bonds
- Use the Treasury Hunt tool at TreasuryDirect.gov to search for bonds issued 1974 or later
- For estate claims, use FS Form 5336
Real Property
- Search the county recorder or assessor's office in every county where the deceased lived or may have owned property (many have online portals)
- Look for mortgage statements, property tax bills, and homeowner's insurance policies
Vehicles
- Contact the state DMV for vehicles registered in the deceased's name
- Look for titles, registration documents, and loan statements in physical files
Safe Deposit Boxes
- Look for keys, rental receipts, or bank charges (typically $30 to $150 per year) in financial records
- Ask banks where the deceased had accounts about safe deposit boxes
- Note: many states seal safe deposit boxes upon the owner's death, and you may need a court order to access
Unclaimed Property: The Safety Net
If assets sit dormant long enough, financial institutions turn them over to the state as unclaimed property. Searching these databases can uncover accounts you missed.
Where to Search
- MissingMoney.com — a free multi-state search operated by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA). Search by name across all participating states.
- Individual state databases — not all states participate in MissingMoney.com. Visit usa.gov/unclaimed-money for links to every state's unclaimed property program.
- Search every state where the deceased lived, worked, or may have had accounts. Also search under maiden names, former names, and common misspellings.
What Gets Escheated
Bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance proceeds, stocks, dividends, utility deposits, safe deposit box contents, and more. Banks typically turn over dormant accounts after 3 to 5 years of inactivity.
Important: Searching and claiming unclaimed property is completely free. Be wary of anyone who charges a fee to search these databases or file a claim on your behalf.
Government Benefits to Claim
Social Security
The Social Security Administration offers a $255 lump-sum death payment to eligible surviving spouses or qualifying children. You must apply within 2 years by calling 1-800-772-1213. Also check whether surviving family members qualify for ongoing survivor benefits.
Veterans Benefits
If the deceased was a veteran, check for SGLI or VGLI life insurance and other benefits such as burial benefits and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). Contact the VA at va.gov/life-insurance or file a claim using VA Form SGLV 8283.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Not Searching Long Enough
Some accounts only surface through quarterly or annual statements. Commit to monitoring forwarded mail for at least 6 to 12 months before concluding your search.
Overlooking Digital Assets
Online-only bank accounts (Ally, Marcus, SoFi), payment app balances, cryptocurrency, and digital storefront credits are easy to miss if you only look at paper records.
Forgetting Beneficiary Designations
Accounts with named beneficiaries — life insurance, 401(k)s, IRAs, and bank accounts with payable-on-death (POD) or transfer-on-death (TOD) designations — pass directly to the named beneficiary outside of probate. These may not go to the intestate heirs. It is still important to identify them so the estate has a complete picture.
Not Searching Under All Names
The deceased may have used a maiden name, former married name, or nickname on certain accounts. Search unclaimed property databases and credit reports under every known name variation.
Property in Multiple States
Real property in a different state than the deceased's home state may require ancillary probate in that state. Personal property like bank accounts generally follows the law of the deceased's home state.
Quick-Reference: Free Tools and Databases
| Resource | What It Finds |
|---|---|
| MissingMoney.com | Unclaimed property across multiple states |
| usa.gov/unclaimed-money | Links to all 50 state unclaimed property databases |
| NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator | Lost life insurance policies and annuities |
| FDIC Unclaimed Funds (closedbanks.fdic.gov) | Deposits from failed banks |
| FDIC BankFind | Track bank mergers and closures |
| TreasuryDirect Treasury Hunt | Unclaimed U.S. savings bonds |
| PBGC Missing Participants (pbgc.gov) | Unclaimed pension benefits |
| DOL Lost and Found (lostandfound.dol.gov) | Lost 401(k) and retirement plan assets |
| IRS Form 4506-T | Tax transcripts showing income sources |
| Equifax / Experian / TransUnion | Credit reports listing all credit accounts |
| SSA (ssa.gov) | $255 death benefit and survivor benefits |
| State DMV | Vehicle registrations |
| County Recorder / Assessor | Real property records |
When to Consider Professional Help
If the estate is large, the deceased had business interests, or you suspect assets are being concealed, it may be worth consulting a probate attorney or hiring a forensic accountant. These professionals have additional tools and legal authority to locate assets, and their fees may be justified by the assets they uncover.
How SwiftProbate Can Help
Tracking down a deceased person's assets across dozens of institutions and databases is one of the most overwhelming parts of settling an estate. SwiftProbate's guided onboarding helps you systematically catalog assets across every category, and our research engine generates specific, actionable checklists tailored to your state, your asset types, and your situation — so you know exactly where to look, what forms to file, and what deadlines to meet.
Start with our free estate overview to see how SwiftProbate can help you organize and navigate the process.