Finding Unclaimed Money in New Zealand
💰 What is unclaimed money?
Unclaimed money is money that belongs to you but has been sitting untouched, usually because the organisation holding it lost track of where you are. Inland Revenue describes it as money left untouched by its owner in organisations like banks, or with a person such as a solicitor. When the organisation or person cannot find the owner, the law requires them to hand the money over to the government, and it becomes searchable so the rightful owner can claim it back. Between them, Inland Revenue, Public Trust and the Treasury hold a large pool of this money, running to hundreds of millions of dollars, and fresh amounts are added every quarter. It could be an old bank account from a flat you moved out of years ago, a final pay packet you never collected, a dividend from shares you forgot about, an insurance refund, or money from a family member's estate. The good news is that finding and claiming it is completely free, and this guide shows you exactly how to search, how to prove the money is yours, and how to avoid the scammers who prey on people looking for it.
How money becomes unclaimed
Money generally becomes unclaimed after 5 years with no interaction from the owner. In limited cases the period can be shorter. Some examples of how the clock works:
- Bank accounts: No deposits or withdrawals for 5 years
- Term deposits that roll over: The 5 year period starts after the investment term rolls over for the first time
- Holiday pay: Becomes unclaimed 5 years after the amount is calculated as owing to the employee
There is also a dollar threshold. Amounts over $100 automatically count as unclaimed money. Smaller amounts of $100 or less owed to the same person can also count if they add up to more than $100 together. For a single amount of $100 or less, the organisation can choose to send it on or keep it for another purpose such as a charitable donation.
Unclaimed money is transferred to the Crown, and where it lands depends on the source. Everyday money like dormant bank accounts, wages and dividends goes to Inland Revenue. Money from company liquidations and some estates can go to Public Trust. Certain trust money and ownerless property (bona vacantia) goes to the Treasury. This guide covers all three.
Common sources of unclaimed money
| Source | Typical example | Usually held by |
|---|---|---|
| Dormant bank account | A savings account you stopped using years ago | Inland Revenue |
| Wages or holiday pay | A final pay you never received after leaving a job | Inland Revenue |
| Dividends and share proceeds | Payments on shares registered to an old address | Inland Revenue |
| Insurance and refunds | A policy refund or overpayment that could not be returned | Inland Revenue |
| Solicitor or trust account money | Funds a lawyer held for you that were never collected | Inland Revenue or Public Trust |
| Estate and liquidation money | A share of an estate, or a surplus after a company was wound up | Public Trust or Treasury |
🔎 Searching and claiming from Inland Revenue
The Inland Revenue unclaimed money register is the first place to look. Searching is free, you do not need to log in just to search, and you can look up your own name or the name of a family member, business or organisation.
How to search the register
Inside myIR the path to lodge a claim is: go to "I want to...", then "Registration, application and enrolment", then "Apply for unclaimed money". You can claim for yourself or on behalf of someone else, such as a family member or an estate.
Records are only as good as the details the original organisation held. Try your maiden name, former names, initials, and any old business names. Money is often listed under the exact name and spelling used when the account was opened, which may not match the name you use today.
How long it takes and what it costs
Claiming from Inland Revenue is free. Inland Revenue takes at least 12 weeks to process a claim, and it can take longer when demand is high. To avoid delays, attach as much supporting evidence as you can when you lodge the claim rather than waiting to be asked. If you have questions, Inland Revenue can be reached about unclaimed money at unclaimed.monies@ird.govt.nz.
There is no charge to search the register or to make a claim. If a website or a person asks you for a payment, a deposit or a percentage cut to release unclaimed money, it is either a scam or a private middleman charging you for something you can do yourself for free.
Money passed on by banks and other institutions
Most of the money on the register started life at a bank, an insurer, a fund manager or an employer. When one of these organisations holds money it cannot return to you, and 5 years pass with no contact, it must pass the money on. Organisations send unclaimed money to Inland Revenue each quarter, along with whatever details they hold about the owner. That is why the register can list an old address or an account number: those are the breadcrumbs that help you prove the money is yours.
Dormant bank accounts and lost KiwiSaver
A dormant bank account is the classic case. If you stop using an account and the balance is over $100, after 5 years of no activity the bank passes it to Inland Revenue and it appears on the register. Searching your own name is the quickest way to find one.
KiwiSaver works differently. Your KiwiSaver money is held by your scheme provider, not sitting on the unclaimed money register, and Inland Revenue is the central administrator that tracks membership. If you think you have a KiwiSaver account you have lost touch with, do not search the unclaimed money register. Instead log in to myIR to see your KiwiSaver details, or contact Inland Revenue and your provider directly. Inland Revenue also holds new contributions briefly in a holding account before passing them to your provider, and that money earns interest while it waits.
Use the unclaimed money register for old bank accounts, wages, dividends and similar. Use myIR or your provider for anything KiwiSaver. Mixing the two up is the most common reason people think their KiwiSaver has vanished when it has not.
🏛️ Public Trust, the Treasury and estate money
Not all unclaimed money sits with Inland Revenue. If your search there comes up empty but you believe money is owed, two other bodies are worth knowing about, especially for estates and businesses.
Public Trust
Public Trust holds money from some estates and from company liquidations. When a company is wound up and there are surplus assets that cannot be paid to the people entitled to them, the liquidator may pay that money to Public Trust. If you can establish a valid claim, Public Trust can then pay the money to the person entitled to it. Estate money that could not be distributed can also end up here.
If you think Public Trust may hold money for you or a relative, you can contact them on 0800 371 471 from within New Zealand, or +64 3 977 7956 from overseas. Have names, dates and any paperwork ready to help them trace the money.
The Treasury
The Treasury holds certain trust money and ownerless property known as bona vacantia. Under the Trusts Act 2019, trustees can pay money held by a trust to the Crown through the Treasury when the trust property cannot be distributed under the terms of the trust, usually because none of the beneficiaries can be found. The Treasury holds that money in a trust account for 6 years. If it is not paid out in that time, it is transferred to the Crown bank account as unclaimed money, and a valid claim can still be made afterwards.
Claiming money from an estate
Claiming on behalf of someone who has died is common, for example an adult child claiming a dormant account that belonged to a late parent. You do not just need to prove the money belonged to the deceased, you also need to prove you have the authority to act for their estate.
How to prove your claim
Every claim, whether for yourself or an estate, needs evidence that links you to the money. The more you provide up front, the smoother and faster the claim. Useful evidence includes:
- Past contact information: addresses you lived at when you held the account the money relates to
- Old statements or correspondence: anything showing your connection with the organisation or person who passed the money on
- Proof of identity: confirming you are who you say you are
- For an estate: a copy of the will, the death certificate, a Letter of Administration, or other evidence you have authority to act for the estate
Inland Revenue takes at least 12 weeks to process a claim, and thin evidence is the main reason claims stall or bounce back for more information. Gather your documents before you lodge so you only have to make the claim once.
🛡️ Avoiding scams and worked examples
Because unclaimed money is real, scammers use it as bait. Knowing how the genuine process works is your best protection.
Spotting a "find your money" scam
Two things prey on people here. The first is an outright scam, where someone contacts you out of the blue claiming you are owed money and asking for personal details or an upfront payment to release it. The second is a legitimate but unnecessary middleman, an "asset reunification" or "heir finder" firm that offers to reclaim money for you and then keeps a large slice of it as a fee, for work you could do yourself for nothing.
- Inland Revenue does not phone to tell you that you are owed unclaimed money. It contacts people by letter, so an unsolicited call or text is a warning sign.
- Inland Revenue will never ask you to make a payment in order to receive unclaimed money.
- Any request for a fee, a deposit, or a percentage cut to release your money.
- Pressure to act fast, or requests for your bank login, passwords or myIR details.
- A company offering to find money for a commission when you can search the free register yourself.
Do not click links in unexpected messages. Instead, go straight to ird.govt.nz and search the register yourself, or email unclaimed.monies@ird.govt.nz. If you suspect a scam, you can also report it to Consumer Protection through its Scamwatch service.
👥 Real-world New Zealand examples
Situation: Mere flatted in Dunedin during university and opened a savings account she stopped using when she moved to Auckland. Eight years later she searches her name on the Inland Revenue register.
Situation: After their father died, David Thompson finds an account in his father's name on the register worth $1,200. David is the executor of the estate.
For an estate you prove two things: that the money belonged to the person who died, and that you have the legal authority to act for their estate through a will or Letter of Administration.
Situation: Wiremu gets a letter from a private "asset recovery" firm saying they have found money owed to him and can recover it if he signs an agreement giving them 20 percent of whatever they collect.
Heir finder and asset reunification firms are not doing anything you cannot do for free. The register is public and searching it costs nothing, so there is rarely a good reason to hand over a slice of your own money.
Situation: Sarah was a small shareholder in a company that was liquidated. Years later she wonders whether any surplus was ever paid to her.
If Inland Revenue draws a blank, the money may sit with Public Trust or the Treasury instead. It is worth checking all three when a company or an estate is involved.
Related guides
These guides help you protect your money and plan ahead:
- Avoiding Scams guide - how to spot and stop financial scams in New Zealand
- Bank Account Security guide - keep your accounts and logins safe from fraud
- Estate Planning Basics guide - wills, executors and keeping records so money is never lost
Sources: every figure and step in this guide was checked against Inland Revenue, the Treasury and Public Trust sources in July 2026:
- Inland Revenue, Unclaimed money overview (ird.govt.nz/unclaimedmoney): definition, 5 year period, transfer to IRD, Public Trust or Treasury
- Inland Revenue, Holding unclaimed money: the $100 threshold, term deposit and holiday pay rules, quarterly transfers
- Inland Revenue, Claiming unclaimed money and Search the database: searching without login, the myIR claim path, evidence needed, at least 12 weeks to process, 20 year holding period, unclaimed.monies@ird.govt.nz
- The Treasury, Unclaimed money and Trust money transferred to the Crown: Trusts Act 2019 trust money, bona vacantia, 6 year holding period
- Public Trust: role in estates and liquidation surpluses; contact 0800 371 471 and +64 3 977 7956
- Consumer Protection Scamwatch and Inland Revenue guidance: unclaimed money scams and the free nature of the official service
Government agencies update their processes and holding periods from time to time. The figures here reflect the current Inland Revenue, Treasury and Public Trust guidance at July 2026. Always confirm the latest details at ird.govt.nz before you lodge a claim.
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