Refund My Surplus
COMMON QUESTIONS
What is a sheriff sale?
A sheriff sale is a public auction where a property is sold to pay off unpaid debts, such as a mortgage or tax lien. The property is sold to the highest bidder. If the winning bid is higher than the total debt and costs, the extra amount becomes surplus funds that may belong to you.
What is a surplus?
A surplus is the extra money left over after a sheriff sale once all liens, mortgages and court costs are paid. If your property sold for more than what was owed, that extra amount is called surplus funds — and as the former homeowner, you may be legally entitled to receive it.
How do I recover my money?
Recovering surplus funds usually requires filing the right paperwork with the court or county that handled the sheriff sale, and following strict deadlines and procedures. Our team handles this process for you from start to finish so you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Are there deadline rules?
Yes. Most states have strict time limits for claiming surplus funds after a sheriff sale. If you miss the deadline, you may lose your right to the money. That’s why it’s important to act quickly. We help you move fast and correctly so you don’t miss your chance.
UNDERSTANDING SURPLUS
Under Indiana law, when a property is sold at a sheriff's foreclosure sale for an amount exceeding the underlying mortgage debt, judgment, and associated administrative fees, the excess money constitutes a "surplus". By statute—specifically Indiana Code § 32-30-10-14—these funds legally belong to the former property owner or other eligible interest holders. However, the sheriff’s office does not automatically send a check to the homeowner. Instead, the excess proceeds are remitted to the local county clerk’s court registry, where they sit held as court deposits until the former owner or a junior lienholder files a formal claim and petition with the court to disburse them. If these funds remain uncollected after a statutory period, county clerks transfer the residual balances to the Indiana Attorney General’s Unclaimed Property Division, where they sit pooled alongside other unclaimed state assets.
These surplus funds represent equity that homeowners built up over years, making their prompt return essential after losing a home. Yet, because county systems lack robust proactive outreach to notify former owners after a forced sale, millions of dollars in excess sale proceeds languish in court accounts or state custody. According to official data from the Indiana Attorney General’s Unclaimed Property Division, over $1.12 billion ($1,126,117,909) in total unclaimed assets were being held by the state, with $35,451,114 sitting specifically in uncollected "Court Deposits"—the primary accounting category under which unclaimed sheriff's sale and judicial surplus funds are remitted. Former owners who have endured the financial and emotional toll of foreclosure should not be deprived of their remaining financial lifeboat simply because the administrative process requires them to navigate complex court filings to reclaim what is rightfully theirs.
Getting started
Expert recovery assistance for surplus funds after sheriff sales. We provide a clear path to reclaiming what is rightfully yours.