More Than $290,000 in Unclaimed Cash Is Waiting for Pasco Residents — With a Sept. 1 Deadline to Claim It

More than $290,000 in unclaimed money is sitting with the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller's Office right now — cash owed to local residents and businesses from checks that were issued but never cashed. Anyone whose name appears on this year's list has until September 1, 2026, to file the paperwork and get their money back.

The funds come from checks issued by either the Clerk's Office or Pasco County government that were never deposited or were returned, according to the Clerk's Financial Services Department. By law, checks that sit uncashed for at least a year are published in an annual list so the rightful owners can find them.

The amounts vary widely. Some people are owed just a few dollars; others are owed hundreds or even thousands. The only way to know is to check the list.

How to check if you're owed money

The full roster of names and businesses is posted on the Clerk & Comptroller's website under the Annual Unclaimed Funds Publication. There are two separate lists to look through — one for the Clerk & Comptroller and one for the Board of County Commissioners — so it's worth scanning both.

Clerk & Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles said the money belongs to the people and businesses on the list, and the goal of publishing it is simply to help them find it. She noted that searching takes only a few minutes and that the office has posted clear instructions to walk people through the claim.

What to do if your name is on the list

If you find your name or business, you'll need to complete the required paperwork — including a Statement of Entitlement — and submit it to the Clerk's Office before the deadline. Detailed instructions and the necessary forms are available through the office's online portal.

Questions can be directed to the Clerk's Financial Services team at the East Pasco Government Center in Dade City, at (352) 521-4566.

Why this happens every year

The Clerk's Office publishes this list annually — it's a legal requirement, but the office also frames it as part of a broader push for transparency and accountability, and a practical way to return public money to the people it actually belongs to.

Uncashed checks are more common than most people expect. A refund on a court fee, an overpayment, a vendor payment to a small business, or a check that was mailed to an old address can all end up in the pool. Because the amounts range from a few dollars to several thousand, even residents who think they'd never be owed anything are worth a quick search.

For local families and small businesses in particular, a few minutes of checking could turn up money you didn't know was yours — with no cost to look.

For more on local government news and money-saving updates that affect Pasco families, visit us at Pasco County Community Website and read more government and politics stories or browse our latest local news. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X for updates, and join the conversation in our Community Forum — if you found your name on the list, let your neighbors know to check theirs too.