Surplus funds &
foreclosure overages
Counties are holding money that belongs to you.
When a home sells at a tax or foreclosure auction for more than the debt owed, the difference is yours — not the county's. We find it, prove entitlement, and file the claim before the deadline runs out.
Free records search · No upfront fees
Why homeowners and heirs work with us
Free claim review
We check county records at no cost so you know whether funds exist before deciding to move forward.
No upfront fees
You pay nothing out of pocket. Our fee is deducted only if and when your funds are successfully recovered.
No recovery, no fee
If we cannot recover your surplus, you owe us nothing. The risk stays on our side, not yours.
Plain-English updates
We explain every step, document, and fee in clear language so you always know exactly where things stand.
The basics
What surplus funds are, in plain language
A foreclosure or tax sale does not erase your equity. It converts it into a fund held by the court — and almost nobody tells the owner it exists.
Worked example
- Home sold at county auction$245,000
- Delinquent taxes and penalties− $18,400
- Mortgage payoff− $96,200
- Sale costs and fees− $7,300
Illustrative figures. Actual distributions follow state statute and recorded lien priority.
Where the money sits
After an auction, the sheriff, trustee, or tax collector pays off taxes, the lender, costs, and junior liens. Whatever is left is the surplus — held by the clerk of court or county treasurer.
Why it goes unclaimed
Notices go to the foreclosed address the owner no longer lives at. Most people never learn the sale produced an overage at all.
The escheat clock
Claim windows typically run one to five years depending on the state. When it expires, unclaimed money escheats to the state or county general fund.
It is not a loan
Surplus funds are your equity returned. There is nothing to repay and no effect on credit.
Who can claim
Entitlement follows the record, not the auction buyer
Former property owners
You lost the property to a tax sale or foreclosure, but it sold for more than the debt. The overage belongs to you, not the county or the buyer.
Heirs and family members
A parent or relative passed away and their home was later sold at auction. Heirs frequently hold a valid claim years after the fact.
Junior lienholders
Second mortgages, HOA liens, and judgment creditors can claim from surplus in order of recorded priority.
Business and estate entities
LLCs, trusts, and estates that held title can claim, with authority documents and a resolution or letters testamentary.
Our process
Five stages, documented at every step
Most files close in 90 to 240 days. Court calendars, probate, and competing liens drive the timeline more than anything else.
- 01
Records search
We pull the tax deed or foreclosure sale file, the final report of sale, and the county's excess proceeds ledger to confirm a surplus exists and how much is being held.
- 02
Chain of entitlement
We establish who has priority: the former owner, surviving heirs, or junior lienholders. Where a prior owner has passed, we map the probate or affidavit-of-heirship path required by that court.
- 03
Claim package
Petition or claim form, sworn affidavits, identity and title documentation, payoff letters, and any lien releases needed to clear competing interests.
- 04
Filing and hearing
We file with the clerk or trustee, respond to objections, and appear (or arrange local counsel) at the disbursement hearing where required.
- 05
Disbursement
The court or trustee issues the check. Our fee is deducted at settlement — never before — and you receive a full accounting of every dollar.
How we operate
The standards we hold ourselves to
Surplus recovery attracts bad actors. These are the commitments we put in writing before we touch your file — so you can judge us on process, not promises.
Nothing out of your pocket
No retainer, no filing costs, no records fees. Our fee is contingent and comes out of the disbursement only after the court releases the funds to you.
A written agreement first
Before any work begins you receive a plain-English agreement stating the exact fee percentage, what we do, what we do not do, and your right to cancel.
Clear terms before you sign
Any authorization, assignment, payment direction, or other document used in your recovery is explained clearly in writing before you sign and is handled according to the requirements that apply to your case.
Verified against primary sources
Every deadline and document requirement we act on is tied to the statute, court rule, or county procedure it comes from — not to guesswork.
Attorneys when attorneys are needed
Probate, competing claimants, and contested liens call for a licensed attorney in your state. We say so and coordinate rather than pretend otherwise.
Your documents stay private
Records live in an access-controlled case system, are shared only with the court or parties your claim requires, and are never sold or marketed to anyone.
Service standards
What you can expect, in writing
Every case we open follows the same documented workflow, tracked in our internal case system so nothing sits idle and no deadline is missed.
Start a free records search- Response to a new inquiryWithin 2 business days
- Cost to have your claim reviewed$0
- Fee charged if no funds are recoveredNone
- Case status updatesAt every filing milestone
- Written fee agreement before work beginsAlways
- States researchedAll 50 + Washington, D.C.
Published research
Our 50-state + Washington, D.C. surplus funds research library
We maintain a free, publicly readable guide covering all 50 states and Washington, D.C. — who may be entitled to surplus funds, where the money is held, which documents courts typically require, and the statutes each answer is drawn from. Every entry cites its primary source so you can verify it yourself. It is the same material our team works from.
Open the State GuideClient outcomes
Recoveries our clients agreed to share
Names shortened and details limited at client request. Every figure reflects a filed and disbursed claim.
I assumed the tax sale wiped out everything my mother left behind. Nine months later the estate received a check for more than the house had ever been appraised at. They handled every hearing notice and never once made me chase them for an update.
Denise A.
Heir claim · Fulton County, GA · $61,400 recovered
Two firms told me the deadline had passed. Dependable Funds Recovery found the sale report, showed the clerk was still holding the balance, and filed before the escheat date.
Ray M.
Former owner · Maricopa County, AZ · $28,750 recovered
What sold me was the paperwork. Every filing, every fee, every date explained in plain English before I signed anything. Their team sat on the phone with my aunt for almost an hour making sure she understood the fee agreement before any of us signed it.
The Okonkwo Family
Probate estate · Harris County, TX · $112,300 recovered
My brother and I inherited the property and had no idea where to start. They handled the estate paperwork and kept us both updated the whole way through.
Gerald & Sandra P.
Heir claim · Cuyahoga County, OH · $47,120 recovered
No money out of my pocket, and they told me up front exactly what their cut would be. When the check came, it matched what they said to the dollar.
Miguel R.
Former owner · Clark County, NV · $34,600 recovered
The Suffolk County surplus sat with the court for over a year and nobody told me. They pulled the referee's report, showed me the exact balance, and filed the motion before the deadline ran out.
Frank D.
Former owner · Suffolk County, NY · $86,200 recovered
I live in Florida now and the Nassau County paperwork felt impossible from a thousand miles away. They handled the filing, the notarizing and the hearing notices without me ever flying up.
Angela R.
Former owner · Nassau County, NY · $52,900 recovered
My mother's house in Queens sold at foreclosure and the family assumed nothing was left. They walked us through the referee's accounting line by line before we signed anything, then filed the estate claim for us.
The Persaud Family
Probate estate · Queens County, NY · $118,450 recovered
Erie County held the overage and every form I sent back came home rejected. They filed it correctly the first time and kept me posted every couple of weeks until the check cleared.
Thomas K.
Former owner · Erie County, NY · $37,300 recovered
Three siblings, two states, one very old will. Getting all of us to agree was the hard part and they were patient about it instead of pushing us to sign fast.
The Bertrand Family
Probate estate · Jefferson Parish, LA · $73,600 recovered
I'd already been burned by an outfit that wanted $500 up front to 'research' my case. Here there was nothing to pay until the court released the funds, and I got the accounting in writing.
Anthony V.
Former owner · Allegheny County, PA · $41,085 recovered
The property had two old liens against it and I assumed that ate the whole balance. They worked through the payoff order with the clerk and there was still real money left for me.
Rosa M.
Former owner · Bexar County, TX · $57,940 recovered
My father passed before the sale finished and I was overwhelmed. They coordinated with the probate attorney, gathered the death certificate and letters of administration, and walked the filing into the clerk's office themselves.
Yvonne T.
Heir claim · DeKalb County, GA · $96,470 recovered
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every claim depends on the sale price, the debts paid, lien priority, and your state's statute.
Protect yourself
Protect Yourself from Surplus Funds Scams
Unfortunately, some people try to take advantage of homeowners who are owed surplus funds. Whether you choose to work with us or another company, here are a few simple ways to protect yourself.
Never pay an upfront fee.
Legitimate surplus funds recovery companies typically work on a contingency basis, meaning they only get paid if they successfully recover your funds.
Make sure you are hiring someone to represent you—not signing away ownership of your money.
Read every agreement carefully and make sure you understand what you are signing before agreeing to anything.
Know exactly what the company charges.
Your agreement should clearly state the fee percentage and provide a written breakdown of how the recovered funds will be distributed.
Ask for the court information.
A trustworthy company should be willing to provide the property information, court name, and case number associated with your claim. Be cautious of anyone who refuses or pressures you to sign immediately.
Be cautious of claims of government endorsement.
Private surplus funds recovery companies are independent businesses and are not endorsed by the county, court, or government.
Verify Your Claim
You never have to rely solely on our word. You are always welcome to contact the court or county handling your case to verify that surplus funds exist before signing any agreement. We encourage every client to ask questions and feel completely comfortable before moving forward.
Our commitment
Our Promise to You
- No upfront fees
- No recovery, no fee
- Clear written agreements
- Transparent communication throughout your case
- We provide your court and case information
- We encourage you to independently verify your claim before signing
Questions
Answers before you commit to anything
Glossary
- Excess proceeds
- The statutory term many states use for surplus funds.
- Report of sale
- The filing that shows the auction price and how funds were applied.
- Escheat
- Transfer of unclaimed money to the state once the claim window closes.
- Junior lien
- A debt recorded after the foreclosing lien; paid from surplus by priority.
- Affidavit of heirship
- Sworn statement establishing heirs when there is no probate.
- Confirmation order
- Court approval of the sale; often starts the claim clock.
Free claim review
Find out in two business days whether a surplus exists
Send us the property address and we will search the sale file, the excess proceeds ledger, and the claim deadline in that county — at no cost.
- Call
- (631) 315-2880 · Mon–Fri, 8am–6pm EST
- claims@dependablefundsrecovery.com
- Location
- West Sayville, NY