AUSTIN (KXAN) — This holiday season, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts wants Austin-area residents and business owners to check and see whether they have unclaimed property they may be entitled to claim.

The state is currently safeguarding $10.5 billion, and it reports $622.6 million of that property belongs to 5.7 million individuals, families or businesses in the Austin area.

How to claim unclaimed property in Texas

In a statement released on Monday, Comptroller Kelly Hancock said, “Every dollar in our Unclaimed Property program belongs to a Texan, not the government … This time of year, especially, even a small amount can make a meaningful difference for families. I encourage every household in the Austin area to take a moment to search — it’s simple, it’s secure and it just might put a little extra money back in your pocket for the holidays.”

KXAN spoke with Hancock in a virtual interview for more insight, where he explained the property could be anything from mineral rights to deposits.

“I mean, my son, for example — when it was announced, we just decided to look and my son had a deposit from an apartment he had in Dallas when he was going to school there,” Hancock said.

Anyone can search for unclaimed property on ClaimItTexas.gov.

You can enter your name — or the names of family members, including maiden names or the names of deceased relatives — into the search tool. If property is found, the site provides simple instructions to submit a claim. The service is free, secure and available to all Texans, according to the Comptroller’s office.

“You may have a little time while you’re sitting at home — you know, get on your laptop while you’re watching — or listening to Christmas music,” Hancock said. “This is a time where people have downtime, and so we really would like them to have their money back — and we want to do everything we can to help in that.”

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.