Lake Oswego, West Linn, Oregon City and Stafford residents are among roughly 13,000 Oregonians who could find unclaimed-money checks of up to $10,000 in their mailboxes this month.

The Oregon State Treasury announced Friday, Oct. 23, that it is mailing about $7 million in unclaimed property to people across the state through its 2026 "Checks Without Claims" initiative, The Oregonian first reported. Individual checks range from $50 to $10,000. No claim is required.

The program skips the usual process, in which people must search for unclaimed funds and file paperwork. Instead, the Treasury identifies eligible owners and mails checks directly.

The money comes from businesses and organizations that owed people money but could not deliver it.

Old paychecks, forgotten bank accounts, tax refunds and credit balances are common examples, according to a treasury press release reprinted by Central Oregon Daily.

State law requires businesses to turn over unclaimed funds after a set period if they cannot find the owners. The funds in this round were reported to the state in 2024.

Recipients should have received a notification letter in September, according to Delaney Chaufty, a Treasury spokesperson quoted by The Oregonian.

Chaufty said the state's unclaimed property website will not show whether someone is receiving a check through this round.

Oregon State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner said the initiative is about getting money back where it belongs. The state still holds about $1 billion in unclaimed funds.

Since the program launched in 2020, the state has returned about $30 million to more than 70,000 people. Oregon has returned more than $745 million in unclaimed property over the past 20 years, according to Treasury officials.

Until people claim their money, the state invests it and uses the earnings to help fund Oregon's public schools.

The claiming process is free. There is no deadline. Residents with questions can contact the Unclaimed Property Program at 503-378-4000 or [email protected].

How to check: Visit unclaimed.oregon.gov and search your name. If you find a match, you can file a claim online at no cost.