Georgia counties hold excess funds from tax sales for the former property owner. Most Georgia counties prefer to deal with attorneys — we work with Georgia-licensed counsel on every claim.
Free to check. No obligation. You pay nothing unless we recover funds for you.
Georgia is a non-judicial foreclosure state with a tax sale system that produces a steady stream of excess funds. The county Sheriff or Tax Commissioner conducts tax sales on the first Tuesday of each month, and surplus from those sales is held in escrow pending claims.
Georgia uses a redeemable tax deed. The buyer at a tax sale receives a deed but the former owner has one year to redeem by paying the bid amount plus a 20% premium. After the redemption period closes, the buyer can foreclose the right of redemption — and the surplus claim window opens for the former owner.
Most Georgia counties strongly prefer to work with licensed attorneys on excess-funds claims, citing both fraud concerns and the technical lien-priority work that disputes require. We partner with Georgia attorneys to make sure claims are filed cleanly the first time.
Not every property sale generates a surplus, and the rules vary by source. Here's what we look for in Georgia.
When a tax-foreclosed parcel sells for more than the delinquent taxes, penalties, interest, and costs, the surplus is held by the Tax Commissioner or Sheriff pending claims by the former owner and lienholders.
Surplus from non-tax sheriff's sales (judgment liens, etc.) is held similarly and distributed under court supervision.
Georgia has its own timelines and rules. Here are the key facts that drive a successful claim.
We monitor all 159 Georgia counties — these are just the largest.
We work on contingency. If we don't recover funds, you owe us nothing.
Funds flow through Escrow.com. We follow each state's finder rules — including Georgia's.
You always have the right to file a claim independently in Georgia, at no cost.
It takes 30 seconds. Enter your name and we'll search our database of unclaimed surplus funds across Georgia foreclosures and tax sales.
Generally five years from the tax sale before unclaimed funds escheat to the state. But the redemption period (one year) and the tax-deed foreclosure timeline interact, so practical claim windows are often shorter.
Georgia counties have seen aggressive finder activity over the years and most now require either an attorney signature or attorney representation to release excess funds. We partner with Georgia-licensed attorneys on every claim.
Redemption restores ownership — within one year of a tax sale, the former owner can redeem by paying the bid amount plus 20%. Excess funds is the cash left over after a sale; claiming excess funds doesn't restore ownership.
Recorded lienholders take priority by lien date, then the former owner. The IRS, junior mortgage holders, and tax liens from other taxing units may all assert priority before the owner sees a dollar.
No. You always have the right to file directly with the county Tax Commissioner at no cost. Our service exists for owners who want help navigating Georgia's attorney-preference rules and lien-priority work.