The Oregon State Treasury is mailing about $7 million in unclaimed money to roughly 13,000 people across the state this month, with individual checks ranging from $50 to $10,000.

No application is required. Beaverton-area residents who are among the recipients should already have a letter from the state that arrived in September.

Oregon State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner announced the distribution as part of the agency's 2026 "Checks Without Claims" initiative, The Oregonian first reported Oct. 23. Steiner said in a statement that the program fulfills the Treasury's mission of reconnecting Oregonians with their money, according to a press release carried by Central Oregon Daily.

The money comes from businesses and organizations that owed people money but could not deliver it. Old paychecks, forgotten bank accounts, unreceived refunds and credit balances are common examples. Oregon law requires businesses to turn over unclaimed funds after a set period if they cannot locate the owners.

Normally, residents must search the state's database and file a claim. Through Checks Without Claims, the Treasury identifies eligible owners and mails payments automatically. The program has returned about $30 million to more than 70,000 people since it launched in 2020.

Treasury spokesperson Delaney Chaufty told The Oregonian the state's unclaimed property website will not show whether a specific person is receiving a check this month. Anyone expecting one should have received a September notification letter, she said.

The funds in this round were reported to the state in 2024 by businesses and organizations that could not return them to their rightful owners.

How to search for unclaimed money

Even residents not part of this mailing may have unclaimed funds waiting. Oregon still holds about $1 billion in unclaimed property and has returned more than $745 million to owners over the past 20 years.

Anyone can search for free at unclaimed.oregon.gov. There is no deadline, and claiming money is always free.

The Oregon State Treasury also posted on Facebook urging people to spread the word and confirming that checks from the Treasury are legitimate.

Residents with questions can contact Oregon's Unclaimed Property Program at 503-378-4000 or [email protected].