How to Find a Deceased Parent’s Accounts

Start with the Records You Already Have

Look for bank statements, tax documents, policy notices, retirement correspondence, and a list of past employers. Note the institution’s name, the type of account, and the last date on the record.

Use contact information from the institution’s official website. Ask its estate or bereavement team what documents it requires. Do not share account numbers or identification documents with an unverified caller.

Check State Unclaimed-Property Programs

Search each state where your parent lived or did business. Try previous names and addresses. A result is a lead, not proof that a claim belongs to you; the state reviews ownership and the claimant’s authority.

A search with no results does not mean there are no accounts. Some funds may still be held by the institution, or may not yet have been reported to a state.

Look for Insurance and Retirement Benefits

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners offers a Life Insurance Policy Locator. Participating insurers check for policies and annuities and contact an eligible beneficiary or authorized person when they find a match.

Contact former employers about retirement and insurance benefits. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation also provides a search for certain unclaimed pension benefits. These searches cover different things; one does not replace the others.

Use the Right Tool for the Kind of Account

USAGov links to separate searches for unclaimed funds at failed banks, closed credit unions, savings bonds, and other government-held funds. FDIC and NCUA tools relate to closed institutions; they are not directories of every living or deceased person’s bank accounts.

• State program: unclaimed funds reported to that state.
• NAIC: a request to locate life insurance or annuity coverage.
• PBGC: certain unclaimed pension benefits.
• FDIC and NCUA: funds associated with closed institutions.
• TreasuryDirect: savings bond information and the relevant search or replacement process.

Keep a Simple Search Log

For each search, record the date, the website, the names you tried, and the result. Keep claim reference numbers separately from sensitive identification documents.

Before submitting a claim, read the agency’s instructions for a deceased owner. Ask whether it needs probate documents, proof of relationship, or another form of authorization.