Federal Heights Unclaimed Property Database
Federal Heights residents can search for unclaimed money through the Colorado state program and Adams County local resources. This small city in the Denver metro area has about 13,000 people, and some may have forgotten accounts or refunds sitting unclaimed with state or county offices. Colorado holds more than $1.2 billion in total unclaimed property. Some of that belongs to current or former Federal Heights residents who moved and lost track of bank accounts, utility deposits, insurance payments, or paychecks. You can search for free online using the official state database. Filing a claim costs nothing if you find money under your name from your time in Federal Heights or anywhere else in Colorado right now.
Searching the State Database
The Great Colorado Payback program is the official state system for unclaimed property. Run by the Colorado State Treasurer, this database holds millions of records from across the state. Companies must turn over funds they cannot deliver to account holders. Banks send in dormant accounts. Insurance companies report uncashed checks. Utility providers turn in old deposits. All of this money sits with the state until someone files a claim. You search by name or address. Since Federal Heights is small, any address you lived at here should be easy to spot in search results.
Visit colorado.findyourunclaimedproperty.com to start your search. Enter your full name as it appears on legal documents like your driver license. The system shows all matches statewide. Look through the list for any Federal Heights address or a company name you recognize from living or working here. Click on a match to see details. Some show exact amounts. Others give ranges. You file a claim to get the actual figure and receive payment. The state walks you through the claim process online, and there are no fees to search or claim unclaimed money from Federal Heights.
Try different name variations when you search. Use nicknames and legal names. Married women should check both maiden and married names. If you ran a business in Federal Heights, search under the exact business name on file with the state. Missing a name variation could mean missing money that belongs to you from an old account or payment that never reached your Federal Heights address years ago.
Adams County Local Resources
Federal Heights sits in Adams County, which manages some unclaimed funds at the county level. These do not always show up in the state database because they stay local. County treasurer offices hold property tax refunds from overpayments. If you owned a home in Federal Heights and your escrow account paid too much property tax, the Adams County Treasurer may have that refund. These can add up over several years if the overpayment was not caught right away. You need to contact the county directly to check for these funds.
Call the Adams County Treasurer at 303-654-6030 to ask if they have unclaimed property under your name. Provide your full name and any Federal Heights addresses where you lived or owned property. They will search their local records and tell you if they find a match. County-level claims often process faster than state claims because fewer people are in line. Adams County also handles surplus funds from tax lien sales. If a Federal Heights property went through a tax sale and sold for more than the debt owed, the county holds that extra money for the former owner. These amounts can be significant, so it is worth checking.
The City of Federal Heights finance department may also have unclaimed refunds. Old utility deposits from water or sewer accounts sometimes go unclaimed when people move and forget to close the account properly. Building permit deposits can sit unclaimed if a project ends and no one requests the refund. Business license fees might be owed back to you if your business closed and you did not collect the unused portion. Contact Federal Heights City Hall at 303-412-3540 to check if the city holds any money in your name from municipal services in Federal Heights.
Common Types of Unclaimed Property
Bank accounts are the biggest source of unclaimed money. When you close an account but leave a few dollars behind, or when a bank cannot reach you about a dormant account, that money goes to the state after the required time period. Utility deposits also end up unclaimed often. You move out of Federal Heights and forget to get your deposit back from the gas or electric company. They try to send a refund check, but it goes to your old address and comes back undelivered. After enough failed attempts, they must turn the funds over to the Colorado treasurer.
Security deposits from landlords are another common category. Many people rent in Federal Heights and then move without collecting their deposit. Landlords must try to return these deposits, but if they cannot find you, the money goes to the state. Insurance companies generate unclaimed property too. Life insurance policies pay out, but beneficiaries do not know the policy exists. Health insurance refunds go to old Federal Heights addresses. Auto insurance refunds after policy cancellation sit unclaimed when the company cannot reach you at your new address. All of these become state property after the dormancy period under Colorado law.
Payroll checks are common too. An employer sends your final check to your last address on file, but you moved before it arrived. The check goes stale, and the employer reports it as unclaimed wages. Stock dividends, court settlements, and class action payments end up unclaimed when notices do not reach people who moved from Federal Heights. Business owners should search for vendor payments that never reached them. A client or supplier might have sent a check to your old business address, and when it could not be delivered, the money went to the state unclaimed property program for safekeeping.
Filing a Claim
When you find unclaimed property in the database, file a claim online through the Great Colorado Payback system. The site guides you step by step. You must prove your identity first. For most claims, a Colorado driver license or state ID works. Scan or photograph your ID and upload it to the claim form. Larger claims might need extra proof. This could be an old bank statement showing your Federal Heights address, a utility bill from when you lived here, or a tax return listing a Federal Heights address during the time the property was reported to the state.
The claim form asks for your current mailing address. Make sure this is correct because the state mails your check here once approved. You also provide information about how you know the property is yours. For a bank account, mention the account type or approximate balance if you remember. For a security deposit, note the Federal Heights street address of the rental and the landlord name if you recall it. The more detail you give, the easier it is for the state to verify your claim and process it without delays or extra requests for information.
Colorado law requires the state to pay valid claims without fees. This is in Colorado Revised Statutes 38-13-118. Processing time varies. Simple claims with clear ID and proof may take 60 to 90 days. Complex claims take longer if the state needs more documents or if multiple people filed claims for the same property. You can log into your account on the Great Colorado Payback website to check claim status. Once approved, the state mails a check to your address. The check is good for 90 days. If it expires, the money goes back into the unclaimed fund and you must file a new claim.
If your claim gets denied, read the denial notice carefully. It explains what is missing or what documents you need to provide. Most denials are due to incomplete paperwork, not because the state doubts your ownership. Gather the requested documents and submit them through your online account. The state wants to return money to rightful owners in Federal Heights and across Colorado, so they work with you to resolve issues and complete your claim properly.
Searching for Family Members
You can search the database for family members, especially those who passed away. Colorado law allows heirs to claim property on behalf of a deceased owner. If your parent or grandparent lived in Federal Heights and never claimed their funds, you can file an estate claim. You need a death certificate and proof you are an heir. This might be a will, a court order naming you as personal representative, or other legal documents showing your relationship to the deceased and your right to claim their property.
Search under your relative's name in the state database. Try different name variations including middle initials and maiden names for women. If you find a match with a Federal Heights address or a company they worked for, click on it to start an estate claim. You will upload the death certificate and estate documents when you submit the form. These claims take longer than standard claims because the state must verify all estate paperwork carefully. But Colorado holds unclaimed property forever with no time limit, so even if your relative died many years ago, their money is still there.
The same rules apply to property from a deceased spouse. If your husband or wife had accounts or policies before they died, there may be unclaimed money under their name from Federal Heights or elsewhere in Colorado. You can file a claim as the surviving spouse. The state asks for a marriage certificate and death certificate along with your ID. Processing these claims takes longer, but Colorado will work with you to verify documents and issue payment to the rightful heir without charging fees for the service.
Avoiding Scams
Some people or companies contact individuals claiming they found unclaimed money in their name. They ask for personal information or want payment for their services. Be careful. The official Colorado unclaimed property program never charges fees. The state treasurer does not cold-call Federal Heights residents about unclaimed money. If someone contacts you out of the blue and asks for payment or sensitive details like your social security number or bank account information, it is likely a scam. Do not respond to these requests.
Only use the official state website at colorado.findyourunclaimedproperty.com to search and file claims. Do not give your financial information to anyone claiming they can help you get unclaimed funds for a fee. The state provides all claim services for free. If you have questions, call the Colorado State Treasurer office directly at 303-866-6070. They can answer concerns without asking for payment or private financial details from Federal Heights residents or anyone else in the state.
Some companies legally offer to find unclaimed property for a percentage of what they recover. While this is allowed under law, you do not need their services. You can search the database yourself in minutes at no cost. Why give away part of your money when the state makes it easy to search and claim your own property? Use official channels, verify any unexpected claims about unclaimed funds, and keep all your money instead of sharing it with a third party in Federal Heights or anywhere in Colorado.
Your Legal Rights
Colorado law protects your right to unclaimed property permanently. The Colorado Unclaimed Property Act is in Colorado Revised Statutes Title 38, Article 13. The law says the state holds property in trust until you or an heir claims it. The state cannot keep your money for other uses beyond reasonable administrative costs. Your right to claim never expires. Even if your property has been with the state for 20 or 30 years, it still belongs to you if you can prove ownership with proper identification and documentation.
Companies must make reasonable efforts to find you before turning property over to the state. They send notices to your last known Federal Heights address. If those fail, they file a report with the treasurer. The treasurer publishes lists of unclaimed property owners every year. These lists are online and in print. The state also runs awareness campaigns to encourage Federal Heights residents and all Coloradans to search for their funds. This system protects your interests and gives you every chance to find out about property that belongs to you.
If you disagree with a claim decision, you can appeal. The state explains why they denied the claim and what you need to fix it. Most denials are due to missing paperwork, not because the state doubts you are the owner. Submit the requested documents, and your claim will move forward. Colorado wants to return unclaimed money to rightful owners in Federal Heights and across the state. They have clear procedures to help you through the claim process and resolve issues without unnecessary complications or delays.
Why Property Goes Unclaimed
Most property ends up unclaimed because people move and do not update their address with every business. You might tell the post office to forward mail when you leave Federal Heights, but forwarding only lasts a year. After that, checks and notices sent to your old address do not reach you. Companies try to contact you several times, but if they fail, Colorado law requires them to turn the funds over to the state. Even small amounts like five or ten dollars must be reported after the required dormancy period passes.
Life gets busy and people forget details. You close a bank account but leave a small balance. You move out of a Federal Heights rental and never think to ask for your security deposit. Your old job sends a final paycheck to your last address on file, but you moved before it came. All of these situations create unclaimed property. Businesses also contribute when they close or merge. They must turn over any outstanding checks or balances to the state. Former employees or customers then have to search the database to find what belongs to them.
The good part is that Colorado protects your property forever. There is no time limit to file a claim. Other situations have deadlines, but unclaimed property does not expire. You can search and claim it whenever you learn it exists. The state acts as a safe keeper until you come forward. This system makes sure your money is protected and available when you need it, even if many years have passed since it was first reported as unclaimed from a Federal Heights address or account in Adams County.
Adams County Unclaimed Money Resources
Federal Heights is located in Adams County. The county treasurer office manages local unclaimed funds including property tax refunds, old county vendor checks, and surplus funds from tax sales. For complete contact information, office hours, and links to local unclaimed property searches, visit the Adams County page.