Counties we cover
These are the Georgia and Ohio counties whose excess-funds lists we read. Each one links to the county's own website, where you can check the list and read the claim instructions yourself, free.
- A county we cover. Tap it.
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Tap a lit county
You'll see which office holds the money, what it asks for, and a link to its own page.
We cover 10 counties in Georgia and 8 in Ohio. The full list is below the map.
Two kinds of claim
Office claim
You send a claim to the county office that holds the money.
Our price is $199, or $399 if you're owed $10,000 or more.
Court motion
You file a motion in the foreclosure case, and the court orders the money paid.
Our price is $299, or $399 if you're owed $10,000 or more.
What each county asks for comes from its own website as we read it on November 4, 2026. Counties change their lists and rules, so the county's page is what counts.
Georgia
In Georgia, the county Tax Commissioner holds money left over from tax sales.
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Chatham
Tax Commissioner Office claim
Asks for the county's request form and your documents, by mail or email. If the claim is approved, you sign a notarized release form before the check is issued. The office says a review typically takes 3 to 4 weeks.
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Clayton
Tax Commissioner Office claim
Asks for the county's claim form, a copy of your deed, and a Certificate of Title dated within 60 days.
Open the county's file folder (the list and the claim form are PDF files there)
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Cobb
Tax Commissioner Office claim
Asks for the county's written claim form, signed by the owner. The office sends all excess funds to Cobb Superior Court, which decides who is paid.
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Coweta
Tax Commissioner Office claim
There is no claim form. You write a claim saying why the money is yours, sign it, have it notarized, and send it with a photo ID. The list isn't linked from the county's website, so it may be out of date.
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DeKalb
Tax Commissioner Office claim
Asks for the county's Claim Form for Excess Bid, with every signature notarized. The office does not accept powers of attorney.
Open the county's page (see Excess Funds)
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Douglas
Tax Commissioner Office claim
Asks for the county's notarized Affidavit and Petition to Demand Payment of Excess Bid, with supporting documents. The list goes back many years and includes money already paid out, so check its Claimed column.
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Forsyth
Tax Commissioner Office claim
There is no claim form. You write a claim, sign it, have it notarized, and send it with a photo ID. The office strongly encourages a certified title report.
The county's page cites a 10% limit on fees for helping recover this money, so in Forsyth we only prepare claims of $2,000 or more.
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Gwinnett
Tax Commissioner Office claim
Asks for the county's own claim packet, complete and unaltered, with a notarized affidavit and a U.S. government ID or passport. The county's page says you are not required to pay, or be represented by, any third party.
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Hall
Tax Commissioner Office claim
Asks for the county's notarized claim form, unaltered, with government ID and proof of your interest in the property. The office does not accept powers of attorney.
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Troup
Tax Commissioner Office claim
Asks for the notarized Request for Tax Sale Escrow Funds form, with an indemnity. The office pays only the record owner or a lienholder at the time of the sale.
Ohio
In Ohio, money left over from sheriff sales and tax foreclosures is held by the Clerk of Courts, or later by the county Treasurer, Auditor or Fiscal Office.
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Butler
Auditor Office claim
For a named entry, the Auditor's claim form with a W-9, photo ID and proof of your Social Security number, notarized if the claim is $100 or more. Entries listed as UNKNOWN need a court order. The county says processing can take up to 180 days.
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Cuyahoga
Clerk of Courts Court motion
A motion to distribute the funds, filed with the Clerk in the foreclosure case and mailed to every party in the case. The other parties then have at least 14 days to respond.
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Hamilton
Clerk of Courts Court motion
A motion for an order of distribution, with a notice of hearing. You get a hearing date from the Magistrate's Office and mail a copy to every party in the case.
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Lake
Clerk of Courts Court motion
A motion to distribute excess funds, filed online in the foreclosure case within the time given in the clerk's notice. Filing online needs a self-represented eFile account.
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Lucas
Treasurer Court motion
The list shows case numbers and amounts, but no names. Payment needs a court order, and the Treasurer's page links a claim form that starts the process.
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Mahoning
Auditor Office claim
The Auditor's claim form, signed before a notary, with ID. The office says it pays in about 10 business days once the claim is authorized.
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Montgomery
Clerk of Courts Court motion
A one-page Motion for Distribution of Excess Funds, filed in the foreclosure case, asking the court to order the clerk to pay you.
Open the clerk's website (see Excess Funds) or open the list (PDF)
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Union
Auditor Office claim
The Auditor's claim form, with a sworn statement before a notary and your ID.