Treasury Hunt was retired on September 30, 2025 under SECURE 2.0, so any old advice that still points people there is obsolete now. [1]
The current free route is the state unclaimed-property system: search through `unclaimed.org` and `MissingMoney.com`, which now connect to Treasury's matured unredeemed debt records. For most people, the useful starting details are the owner's name, Social Security number, and the states where the owner lived. [2]
Start With the State Databases
A normal search is simple enough: enter the owner's legal name, then repeat the search in each state tied to that person's residence history. If the portal returns a match, follow that state's claim steps; a successful hit usually means the bond record has surfaced in the unclaimed-property system and can move toward replacement through TreasuryDirect or a direct-deposit payout. [2]
- Search the current state first, then prior states if the owner moved.
- Use the exact legal name if you have it.
- Keep the SSN handy in case the portal asks for it.
If the State Search Comes Up Empty
If you do not find a match, Treasury's backup path is FS Form 1048. TreasuryDirect's instructions cover lost, stolen, or destroyed EE and I bonds, and the form must be notarized and mailed to Treasury Retail Securities Services in Minneapolis. [4]
- Complete FS Form 1048.
- Get the signature notarized.
- Mail it to P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150. [4]
Why It Moved to States
NAUPA's toolkit puts the pool at about $26 billion in matured, unredeemed savings bonds. [3]
Treasury says the form route can take "several weeks" after it is received, but harder cases can take longer when ownership or documentation is not clean. [4]
So the practical rule is simple: check the state databases first, and use FS Form 1048 only if the search does not produce a match.
References
- Treasury Hunt - U.S. Department of the Treasury - September 30, 2025
- Search for Unclaimed Property - NAUPA / unclaimed.org
- Unclaimed Savings Bond Act Toolkit - NAUPA / unclaimed.org
- Replace a Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Savings Bond - TreasuryDirect