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Northeast

Surplus funds in Maine.

When a property in Maine 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.

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Foreclosure sales here

Judicial, through the courts.

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. We don't offer paid help for Maine surplus once it is presumed abandoned under Maine's unclaimed-property law; you can claim it yourself, free.

Tax sale surplus

Municipal tax lien foreclosures (36 M.R.S. §§ 942–943). After the redemption period ends, a town that sells the property to anyone other than the former owner must list it with a licensed real estate broker and pay the former owner the sale proceeds left after taxes, interest, fees and the town's costs (§ 943-C). If the town keeps the property, it pays the former owner the same excess calculated from a licensed appraisal. If the former owner can't be found, the town publishes notice, and money not claimed within 30 days of the final notice goes to the state's Unclaimed Property Fund.

Foreclosure surplus

Foreclosure type
Judicial
Who holds the surplus

The foreclosing mortgagee (lender) pays the surplus under the court's judgment; if the mortgagor never appeared in the case, the surplus is paid to the clerk of courts

Residential mortgage foreclosures go through a civil action; after the court-ordered public sale the lender pays sale expenses and disburses the rest per the judgment, and any surplus must be paid to the mortgagor or the mortgagor's heirs or assigns (14 M.R.S. § 6324). The lender must file a report of sale with the court and mail it to the mortgagor; the mortgagor can contest the accounting by motion within 30 days of receiving it. If the mortgagor did not appear, the clerk holds the surplus for 6 months, then sends it to the Treasurer of State and eventually the state's unclaimed property program. A non-judicial power of sale exists only for mortgages granted by entities/trusts and, since 1993, only for business, commercial or agricultural loans (14 M.R.S. § 6203-A).

Fees and assignments. No foreclosure-surplus-specific fee statute found. If surplus reaches the unclaimed property program, 33 M.R.S. § 2201 voids locator agreements made from presumed abandonment until 24 months after delivery to the state (attorney exception), caps fees at 15% for agreements made 24-36 months after delivery, and requires a written agreement stating value before and after the fee.

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Every Maine county office(297)

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 Maine is above.

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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).