Star Thing WindAsk us to check

Star Thing Wind › States › California

West

Surplus funds in California.

When a property in California sells at a tax sale or a foreclosure sale for more than what was owed, the extra can belong to the former owner. Here is who holds it, the law behind it, and every county office linked so you can check for yourself, free.

Star Thing Wind is a private company, not the Clerk or any government office.

Foreclosure sales here

Both judicial and non-judicial.

Our fee here

Tax-sale surplus: up to 25% of what you receive, shown in writing before you sign, $0 upfront, only if you are paid. We don't offer paid help for foreclosure surplus; you can claim it yourself, free. You get the county's free-claim notice before you sign.

Tax sale surplus

Excess proceeds from tax-defaulted property sales are claimed by filing a claim with the county within one year after the tax collector's deed is recorded; a claim postmarked by the deadline is on time (Rev. & Tax. Code §4675). Most counties supply a claim form. The board of supervisors (or an officer it delegates) decides the claim, so no court petition is needed, and owners can file directly at no cost. Lienholders of record are paid before the former owner, and anyone acting for a claimant must show the owner was told the amount and source of the money and of the right to file with the county at no cost. Proceeds not claimed in time may be transferred to the county general fund (Rev. & Tax. Code §4674). Many county tax collectors post excess-proceeds lists.

Foreclosure surplus

Foreclosure type
Both
Who holds the surplus

The trustee after a non-judicial trustee's sale (most common). If claims conflict, the trustee may deposit the money with the clerk of the superior court. In a judicial foreclosure, the court (it may order the surplus deposited in court).

Within 30 days after the trustee's deed, the trustee must mail notice to everyone with a recorded interest; the trustee must receive a written claim, signed under penalty of perjury, no later than 30 days after the date the trustee sends the notice (Civ. Code 2924j(a)). If there is no priority dispute the trustee pays within 30 days after the notice period; otherwise the trustee deposits the funds with the superior court clerk (or files interpleader), and the court hears claims and distributes (2924j(b)-(d)). Junior lienholders are paid before the former owner (2924k). Surplus the trustee still holds becomes subject to the Unclaimed Property Law (2924j(g)).

Fees and assignments. Strict. Under the Mortgage Foreclosure Consultants Act, anyone other than the owner's own attorney who, for compensation, helps an owner get the remaining proceeds from the trustee's sale of the owner's residence is a 'foreclosure consultant' (Civ. Code 2945.1(a)(9), (c), (e)(8)), and it is a violation for a foreclosure consultant to enter into an agreement at any time to arrange release of surplus funds after the trustee's sale, whether by direct payment, assignment, deed, power of attorney or assignment of claim (2945.4(h)). This effectively bars non-attorney fee or assignment deals for owner-occupied 1-4 unit residences ('residence in foreclosure', Civ. Code 1695.1).

Published surplus lists

These official California pages publish lists or lookups of unclaimed surplus or excess proceeds. If your name or parcel appears, the office that runs the list can tell you how to claim, free.

Lists change often and may be out of date. Checked October 2026.

Want it handled?

You can claim this money yourself, free, by filing with the county. You don't need a recovery service or an attorney to do it.

Ask us to check →

Every California county office(58)

Surplus is public record. Call the office that held the sale with the parcel or case number; in most places it will confirm whether a surplus exists, how much, and the deadline. Self-filing is free. Each entry links the county's tax office and court clerk where the directory lists them, plus the full set of county offices.

Each dot is a county below. Pick one from the list to see it up close.© OpenStreetMap contributors

What we do, and your other options

Filing yourself, your own attorney, or us. Our fee in California is above.

What we take off your plate → · Compare your options →

Check this yourself

This page is plain-language orientation, not legal advice. Statutes were checked against official sources in October 2026, and county links come from the NETR public-records directory, an independent resource. Laws and county procedures change, so confirm with the office before you rely on any of it. You can always file a claim yourself with no recovery fee (a court or notary may charge a small fee).