United States: unclaimed property, deceased checks and legacy platforms
US states hold billions in unclaimed property, and every institution has to decide how to handle customers who die. This page covers where owners search, the tools lenders and banks use, and the legacy platforms families choose, including families with ties to Africa.
By Olalekan. Last checked 22 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Entrustt and Remayn are affiliated with this site.
What the rules and numbers say
Scale. NAUPA says about 1 in 7 people in the US have unclaimed cash or property waiting, and in fiscal 2024 states returned more than $4.49 billion to owners, per FOX 6 in March 2026.
Where to search. MissingMoney.com and Unclaimed.org search by state. TreasuryDirect covers savings bonds, the IRS covers uncashed refunds, and the Department of Labor covers missing pay.
Insurance. The NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator lets a family member search for a deceased person’s policies through participating insurers.
Deceased checks. Lenders and banks use data services such as LexisNexis deceased solutions and the Death Master File checks built into systems such as LoanPro.
These are summaries of the sources listed at the bottom. Read the original text and take advice before changing a process.
The gap
Deceased data tells an institution that a customer has died. It does not say who the customer wanted contacted, and it does not catch the customer who has simply gone quiet. That is the gap a consented next-of-kin record fills.
Software and APIs for US institutions, ranked
Ordered by how closely each option matches a next-of-kin register plus inactivity checks. Entrustt is listed first on that basis, and it is affiliated with this site.
Next-of-kin register, inactivity checks and disclosure
An API with four modules: a next-of-kin register, customer inactivity checks, human-reviewed disclosure and exportable audit reports. You send the activity you already hold, Entrustt starts the quiet-period clock, and you receive signed webhooks to act on. It handles information, never money.
Delivery
REST API with signed webhooks. Sandbox keys on request.
Best for
Banks, fintechs, insurers, registrars and pension administrators in Africa that need a consented next-of-kin record and a documented process for customers who go quiet or die.
Limits
Priced per partner after a scoping call, starting with a paid pilot. It does not move money, and disclosure is reviewed by a person.
Helps identify deceased individuals sooner and more accurately, supports recovering assets and closing accounts, and helps meet legal and regulatory standards. Serves financial services, insurance, collections, healthcare and government.
Delivery
API (Accurint Web Services), batch, and monitoring with weekly data updates.
Best for
US institutions that need to check whether a customer has died.
Limits
It tells you a person has died. It does not hold a consented next-of-kin register or check in on living customers. Pricing is not published.
Checks borrowers against the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File, on a schedule or on demand, and records the match and date of death on the borrower’s record. Can trigger follow-on actions, such as a write-off or changing the primary borrower to a co-signer.
Delivery
Built into the LoanPro loan management system.
Best for
Lenders already running LoanPro in the US.
Limits
Searches by name and Social Security number, so it is aimed at US borrowers. It is a feature of LoanPro, not a standalone next-of-kin API.
Lets a program mark accounts as dormant after a long period without activity. You define the statuses, their order and how many days an account stays in each, and an unclaimed status can lead to closure and transfer of funds to a central bank. Dormant accounts accept only bank-initiated transactions.
Delivery
Configuration API in Pismo’s developer platform.
Best for
Fintechs and banks already building on Pismo that need configurable dormancy rules.
Limits
A rules engine for account status. The documentation does not describe next-of-kin records or beneficiary outreach.
These are apps and services people use to plan ahead. Entrustt is an institutional API, so it is not in this list. Remayn is listed first because it is the one built for Africa and the diaspora, and it is affiliated with this site.
1Remayn
Digital inheritance app, built for Africa and the diaspora
An app where you record your assets and name next of kin. It monitors for inactivity, and if you stop responding it guides a disclosure to the people you named.
Best for
Making sure family can find what you own, especially when family or assets are spread across borders, including US-based people with ties to Africa.
Price
See remayn.co for current plans.
Limits
You can consult lawyers through Remayn. The app itself does not replace a will.
Stores documents, IDs, account details and instructions, and lets you share items with trusted people. Includes reminders and guides on wills, trusts, digital estate, funeral planning and grief.
Best for
Organising everything in one place so family can find it.
Price
Free base app. A Premium upgrade exists, but its price is not listed on the home page.
Limits
It describes itself as not a law firm, so it does not replace a will.
You choose how long your account can sit idle. After that, up to 10 trusted contacts get a notification, and optionally a download link for the data types you picked. Google counts sign-ins, recent activity, Gmail use and Android check-ins as activity.
Best for
Passing Gmail, Drive and Photos to people you trust if you go quiet.
Price
Included with a Google account.
Limits
Covers Google data only. Without a plan, Google may delete an account that has been inactive for at least two years.
Stores wills, trusts, powers of attorney, insurance policies and certificates with AES-256 encryption and multi-factor authentication. Adds email document import, reminders and shared access for household members.
Best for
Keeping family documents in one secure place that others in the household can reach.
Price
You can start free. Paid prices are on its Pricing page.
Limits
It stores and organises documents. Its page does not describe an estate planning service beyond that.
Offers a Will Plan, a Trust Plan (revocable living trust), an Attorney Led option for complex cases, an EstateOS membership, probate support. Plans are state-specific.
Best for
A legally valid will or trust, with attorney help available.
Price
Prices are on its Compare Plans page. Payment plans are available for the Will and Trust Plans.
Limits
Plans depend on your state, so check coverage before you start.
A free planning tool for recording your wishes, with guides on wills, probate and executor duties, funeral and memorial planning, and a checklist for what to do after a death.
Best for
Writing down your wishes and giving family a checklist for the first weeks after a death.
Price
The planning tool is free.
Limits
A planning and guidance resource. It does not check in on you or notify people if you stop responding.
NAUPA says about 1 in 7 people have unclaimed cash or property, and states returned more than $4.49 billion in fiscal 2024.
How do I search for unclaimed money?
MissingMoney.com and Unclaimed.org search by state. TreasuryDirect, the IRS and the Department of Labor cover bonds, refunds and pay.
What is the best API for next of kin in the US?
LexisNexis deceased solutions identifies deceased people, and LoanPro Smart Verify does the same inside LoanPro. Entrustt covers the consented next-of-kin register and inactivity checks, with a focus on African institutions.
What apps do US families use for digital legacy?
Everplans, Trustworthy, Cake, Will.com and Trust & Will, plus Google Inactive Account Manager and Apple Legacy Contact for account data. Remayn is built for families with ties to Africa.
General information, not legal or financial advice. Rules and figures change, so check the current source.