Our office is in charge of money left behind when someone passes away and does not designate an heir. Search our list of unclaimed estates to see if you could be owed money. If you would like to file a claim form, follow the instructions below.

You can sort the list by name, date or amount by clicking on each column heading. 

Filing a Claim

If you believe you are owed money on one of these lists, fill out an Estates of Deceased Claim Form and submit it to our office. 

With the form, you must include documents and records that prove your relationship to the decedent, as well as a copy of the decedent's will (if any) and a copy of the decedent's death certificate. We cannot process any claims within 40 days of the decedent's death. 

Send the completed claim form and related documents to the following address: 

County of San Diego 
Treasurer-Tax Collector 
Attn: Estates of Deceased Claims 
1600 Pacific Highway, Room 152 
San Diego, CA 92101-2475

We review all claim forms carefully. If you do not submit the correct documents, our office will return all documents to you with a letter explaining why the claim was denied. Please allow 4-6 weeks of processing time.

If you have questions about Estates of Deceased, call the Accounting Division of the Treasurer's Office at (619) 531-4743 or (619) 531-4704.

Submitting a Deposit

To submit Estates of Deceased proceeds:

• Make check payable to SDCTTC. 

• Include a letter with your contact information, the name of the decedent, the name of the heir if known, the amount per heir (if one check is for multiple heirs), the nature of the property (e.g. court order for distribution showing heir's share and probate case #), and any documentation that may assist in identifying the rightful owner.Note that all provided documentation becomes public record, except for confidential information like social security numbers and personal addresses (which will be redacted).  

• If you would like a receipt, enclose a receipt for us to sign and return.

Deadlines

If any estates with known heirs remain in the Treasury for more than one year, that money must be transferred to the State Controller's Office, according to state law. 

Any estates without known heirs that remain in the Treasury for more than three years will be turned over to the County's general fund. Before the money is transferred, we try to give people one last chance to claim it. 

Every summer, our office publishes a list of items over $15 in a county-wide newspaper. We then give people 45-60 days to file a claim. After the money becomes the County's property, it can no longer be claimed.