Search Kent County Unclaimed Money
Kent County is Maryland's smallest county by population, but residents here are just as likely to have unclaimed money sitting in the state database as anyone elsewhere in the state. The Maryland Comptroller holds over $2.76 billion in total unclaimed funds, and about one in seven Maryland residents has at least one account on file. If you live in Chestertown or anywhere else in the county, searching is free and only takes a few minutes through the official ClaimItMD portal.
Kent County Unclaimed Money Overview
Kent County Unclaimed Money: How the State System Works
Maryland does not maintain a separate Kent County unclaimed property database. All unclaimed funds for county residents are held by the Maryland Comptroller's office in Baltimore. When a bank, insurance company, employer, or other business cannot locate the owner of a dormant account, it is required by law to report and transfer those funds to the state. The Comptroller then holds them until the rightful owner files a claim.
This process is governed by Maryland Code §17-101, which defines what types of property are considered unclaimed and when. The law covers a wide range of financial assets, from bank accounts and wages to insurance policy proceeds and dividend payments from stocks. If any business or institution holding money could not find you after a set period of inactivity, the funds were likely turned over to the state.
Kent County's small population means the state database may have fewer total accounts tied to the county than a place like Montgomery or Baltimore County. But for any individual resident, the odds of having something in the database are the same. The state average is about $2,080 per account, and many accounts are larger than that.
Note: The state holds funds with no expiration date. Even if an account was turned over fifteen or twenty years ago, you can still claim it today.
Searching for Kent County Unclaimed Funds
The main search tool is the ClaimItMD portal run by the Maryland Comptroller's office. You can search by name, and the tool will show any accounts in the state database that match. You do not need an account or a login to search. The result list shows the type of property, the holder who reported it, and a general dollar range. You do not see the exact amount until you file a verified claim.
The screenshot below shows the Maryland Comptroller's main unclaimed property portal, which is where Kent County residents should start any search for lost funds.
Visit the Maryland Comptroller unclaimed property page to get an overview of the program, find links to the search tool, and learn how to start a claim.
The portal is available at any time and is the official state resource for all unclaimed property searches in Maryland, including for Eastern Shore counties like Kent.
Kent County Residents and Multi-State Searches
Kent County sits on the upper Eastern Shore, close to the Delaware border by water. Residents with ties to commercial fishing, agriculture, or watermen's trades may have worked across state lines or held accounts in Delaware, Pennsylvania, or other states. If that applies to you, it is worth doing a multi-state search in addition to the Maryland database.
The national MissingMoney.com database pulls unclaimed property records from participating states into a single search. It is free to use and can surface accounts from addresses you may have had years ago. Delaware runs a separate unclaimed property program, and any funds from Delaware sources would not appear in the ClaimItMD portal. Checking both databases takes only a few minutes more.
Washington College in Chestertown is a significant employer for the county. Current or former employees of Washington College should search under both their name and any maiden names, particularly if they had retirement accounts, flexible spending balances, or payroll checks that were never cashed. Educational institutions sometimes have staff turnover that leaves old accounts uncollected.
Seasonal agricultural work is common in Kent County. Wages from seasonal employers can go unclaimed if the worker moved or changed contact information. Under Maryland Code §17-102, wages become dormant after three years of inactivity. Once dormant, the employer must report and transfer those funds to the Comptroller. A search under your name will catch those accounts.
How to Claim Your Kent County Unclaimed Money
After you find a matching account in the ClaimItMD database, the next step is to file a formal claim. The state requires you to verify your identity and your right to the property. The documents you need are a government-issued photo ID, proof of your Social Security number, and the completed COT-ST912 claim form. Download the form from the Comptroller's website, fill it out, and submit it either online or by mail.
The screenshot below shows the ClaimItMD search database, which is the specific tool you use to search names and begin the claim process for any Maryland unclaimed property account.
The ClaimItMD search portal is the direct search interface where Kent County residents can enter a name and view results at no cost before filing any claim paperwork.
If you find a match, the portal walks you through the steps needed to submit a claim online, or you can print forms and mail them to the Comptroller's office instead.
Online claims take 6 to 12 weeks to process. Mail claims take longer, typically 12 to 24 weeks from when the Comptroller receives your paperwork. Under Maryland Code §17-401, the state must pay an approved claim within 30 days of approval. Once your paperwork clears review, payment is issued quickly.
The Comptroller's office contact for questions is 410-767-1700 or toll-free 1-800-782-7383. Email is unclaim@marylandtaxes.gov. The mailing address is 7 St. Paul Street, Suite 320, Baltimore, MD 21202. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Kent County residents do not have a local field office nearby, so phone and email are the best ways to follow up on a pending claim.
What Types of Property Kent County Residents May Find
Bank accounts are the most common type of unclaimed property statewide. Checking and savings accounts that went dormant after three years of no activity are reported to the state in bulk by banks each fall. If you changed banks, moved, or simply stopped using an old account, that balance may now be in the Comptroller's database. This is true whether the account held ten dollars or ten thousand.
Insurance policy proceeds are another major category. Life insurance policies sometimes go unclaimed because beneficiaries do not know the policy exists or cannot locate the insurer after the policyholder dies. Kent County residents who are heirs to an estate should search the database as part of the estate settlement process. Policies that were issued decades ago by companies that have since merged or been acquired still show up under the successor holder's name.
Utility deposits from past rentals, uncashed dividend checks from stock holdings, and refunds from old credit accounts are also worth looking for. Any financial account you have ever had in Maryland may have left a trace in the state database. Money orders go dormant after seven years under Maryland's rules, and traveler's checks after fifteen years.
Under Maryland Code §17-404, any agreement you sign with a finder service within 24 months of your property being reported to the state is void. You do not need to pay anyone to find or claim your money. The state's portal is free and the staff will help you without any charge.
Note: You can search for other people too, such as deceased parents or relatives, and file a claim as an heir with the appropriate documentation proving your relationship to the original owner.
Kent County Government Contact
Kent County's official government site is at kentcounty.com. The county government does not run a separate unclaimed property program. All standard unclaimed funds go through the state. However, for questions about tax sale surplus funds from county property auctions, the Kent County Finance Department is the right contact. Reach out through the main county website or call the county offices in Chestertown for direction to the right department.
The Maryland Comptroller's office in Baltimore is the primary contact for all statewide unclaimed property questions. There is no dedicated Comptroller field office in Kent County. The closest field offices serve Cecil County (Elkton area) and the Baltimore metro region. Phone and email are the most practical options for Kent County residents.
Nearby Counties
Kent County shares borders with three neighboring counties. If you have lived or worked in any of them, check the state database using any addresses or names you had in those areas as well.