Texas unclaimed savings bonds are claimed free in one of 2 ways: from the Texas Comptroller when its unclaimed property program holds the paper bond, or from Treasury with FS Form 1048 when it does not.
Texas has no savings bond statute. Its Supreme Court bond case, Free v. Bland (1962), held that federal registration rules beat Texas community property law, so a surviving co-owner keeps the bond (checked November 11, 2026).
ClaimMyBonds is a private, independent guide, not the Comptroller, the State of Texas, Treasury, TreasuryDirect or Treasury Hunt, and we cannot search their records. To compare other states, read our hub on savings bonds and state unclaimed property offices.
Does Texas Hold Unclaimed Savings Bonds?
Texas holds a US savings bond only when the Comptroller's Unclaimed Property Division has physically received the paper bond, for example from an abandoned safe deposit box; bonds that exist only on Treasury's records stay with Treasury.
The Texas Property Code's unclaimed property law, Title 6, chs. 71 to 76, never uses the phrase "savings bond". The table below summarizes Texas's position as of November 11, 2026.
| Attribute | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Agency | Comptroller of Public Accounts, Unclaimed Property Division | Comptroller program page |
| Program page and search | comptroller.texas.gov/programs/unclaimed, linking ClaimItTexas at claimittexas.gov (claimittexas.org redirects there) | Comptroller program page |
| Claim statute | Tex. Prop. Code 74.501: claim filed with the Comptroller, who reviews its validity | Tex. Prop. Code ch. 74 |
| Unclaimed property law | Title 6, chs. 71 to 76; the words "savings bond" do not occur | Tex. Prop. Code |
| Savings bond escheat statute | None; not on Treasury's 2015 list | 80 FR 80259 |
| Court of Federal Claims suit | None; not an appellant in Third Circuit No. 10-1963 | 684 F.3d 382; Opinion and Order, November 30, 2020 |
| Supreme Court case | Free v. Bland (1962): survivorship, not escheat | 369 U.S. 663 |
| Agreement with Treasury for bond records | None publicly known | 31 CFR 323.11(b); checked November 11, 2026 |
| Finder fee cap | 10 percent plus reasonable attorney's fees | Tex. Prop. Code 74.507(a) |
| Cost of a claim | Free | Treasury and state programs charge no claim fee |
Texas and savings bonds at a glance, as of November 11, 2026. Sources: Comptroller program page, Tex. Prop. Code ch. 74, 80 FR 80259, 369 U.S. 663.
We found no Texas list of the savings bonds it holds. Missouri runs the only verified state bond name search, and no national name search exists.
Treasury's Bond Records Are Not on ClaimItTexas
Treasury's records of matured, unredeemed savings bonds are not on ClaimItTexas: a state may receive owner names and addresses only after signing an information-sharing agreement with the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, and only to locate owners (31 CFR 323.11; 89 FR 102735, December 18, 2024).
No such agreement is publicly known, Texas included. The data holds no Social Security numbers or serial numbers, and Treasury must approve any public release in writing first (323.11(c)(3)).
Pages saying bond data "moved" to state offices are therefore wrong. Older pages still list Treasury Hunt, but TreasuryDirect states: "As of September 30, 2025, the Treasury Hunt® tool is no longer available." No replacement exists, and Treasury Hunt is closed.
How to Search ClaimItTexas for a Savings Bond
Search ClaimItTexas, the Texas Comptroller's unclaimed property search, under the owner's name, and claim any paper savings bond it lists for free. The Comptroller's program page links the search at claimittexas.gov, and claimittexas.org redirects there. The 4 steps are below.
- Open comptroller.texas.gov/programs/unclaimed yourself and follow its ClaimItTexas link, never a link in a letter, text or email.
- Search the name exactly as printed on the bond, plus former and married names; here is how to read a paper savings bond and find that name.
- Repeat the search for each co-owner, each POD (payable on death) beneficiary and a deceased owner.
- File a claim for each listing that could be a savings bond and keep a copy.
Claiming From the Texas Comptroller Under Tex. Prop. Code 74.501
A Texas claim is filed with the Comptroller, who reviews the validity of each claim (Tex. Prop. Code 74.501), and claiming costs nothing. The Comptroller sets the proof. We state no document list or decision time, so follow the claim instructions on ClaimItTexas.
A paper bond Texas returns stays registered to the people named on it. Treasury pays only the owner or a person entitled to the bond (31 CFR 353.39(b)). The contact details follow.
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Unclaimed Property Division
Program page: https://comptroller.texas.gov/programs/unclaimed/ (links the ClaimItTexas search)
Mail: P.O. Box 12019, Austin, TX 78711-2019
Phone: (800) 321-2274
Source: Comptroller program page (phone), checked November 12, 2026; mail address as listed by NAUPA's Texas page, checked November 12, 2026. ClaimMyBonds is not affiliated with the Texas Comptroller or the State of Texas.
Where to Cash a Savings Bond in Texas
Any bank or credit union that offers the service may cash a paper savings bond in Texas, but none is required to, so ask first or cash by mail with FS Form 1522 (Rev. April 2026). FS Publication 0022 (Rev.
October 2022) lets agents decline non-customers, and ID alone is enough for $1,000 or less. Banks may pay Series A to E, EE, I and Savings Notes, never F, G, H, J, K or HH, and charge no fee (31 CFR 321.23(c)).
Only eligible institutions act as paying agents (321.2(a)). We name no Texas bank, because we hold no verified Texas branch list. Mail has no limit, and a certified signature is needed only above $1,000 in total current value; see what banks cash savings bonds for dated policies.
If Texas Does Not Hold Your Savings Bond: Claim From Treasury With FS Form 1048
Claim a savings bond from Treasury with FS Form 1048 (Rev. March 2026) when Texas does not hold it: Treasury searches its own records for lost, stolen or destroyed paper bonds, and the form is free. This is the route for a grandparent's bonds nobody can find.
Treasury counts 103,064,737 matured unredeemed savings bonds, all series, as of September 30, 2026 (Fiscal Data). We state no dollar total and no Texas share.
Send the form to Treasury Retail Securities Services, P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150, or call 844-284-2676. Without the serial number, Treasury asks for the month and year of purchase, the Social Security number, the full names and the address on the bond.
The serial number is required 6 years or more after final maturity (31 CFR 315.29(c), 353.29(c)). Searches take 11 months or longer (TreasuryDirect, November 11, 2026); read the FS Form 1048 claim for lost savings bonds guide first.
Texas Unclaimed Property Law (Tex. Prop. Code Title 6) and Savings Bonds
Texas's unclaimed property law, Tex. Prop. Code Title 6, chs. 71 to 76, is a general law with no section written for US savings bonds, and Texas never passed a savings bond escheat statute.
Texas is not on Treasury's 2015 list of 16 state statutes (80 FR 80259). None of the 10 Court of Federal Claims suits dismissed with prejudice on November 30, 2020 was Texas's, and Texas is not among the 6 appellants in Third Circuit No. 10-1963.
Treasury may, at its discretion, pay a state for a paper bond at final maturity that the state holds and owns by judgment (31 CFR 315.88, 353.88; 80 FR 80258, December 24, 2015).
We found no Texas use of that route, and we state no dormancy period. The Tex. Prop. Code chapter 74 text carries the claim rules.
Free v. Bland (1962): Texas Community Property Versus the Co-Owner on the Bond
Free v. Bland, 369 U.S. 663 (1962), is the Supreme Court case from Texas holding that Treasury's survivorship rules for co-owned savings bonds override any inconsistent part of Texas community property law. The facts raised the community property question directly: the bonds were bought with community funds during the marriage. The table summarizes the case.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Case | Free v. Bland, 369 U.S. 663 (1962) |
| Court and docket | Supreme Court of the United States, No. 205, October Term 1961, on certiorari to the Supreme Court of Texas |
| Argued, decided | March 21, 1962; May 21, 1962 |
| Opinion | Chief Justice Warren |
| Bonds | Series E and F bought 1941 to 1945 with community property, registered "Mr. or Mrs. Free"; the wife died in 1958 |
| Decision below | 162 Tex. 72, 344 S.W.2d 435, reversed and remanded |
| Holding | Treasury's survivorship regulations for co-owned bonds preempt inconsistent Texas community property law (Supremacy Clause) |
| Exception | Relief where the circumstances manifest fraud or a breach of trust tantamount thereto |
Source: Free v. Bland, 369 U.S. 663 (1962), U.S. Reports via the Library of Congress. Summary, not legal advice.
The bonds were Series E and F. A Series F bond (issued 1941 to April 1952, 12 years) no longer earns and is cashed only by mail with FS Form 1522. For what the survivor does next, read our savings bond co-owner rules.
What the Supreme Court Decided, and the Fraud Exception
In Chief Justice Warren's opinion of May 21, 1962, the Court held that the Treasury regulations creating a right of survivorship preempt inconsistent Texas law under the Supremacy Clause, and it reversed the Supreme Court of Texas (162 Tex. 72, 344 S.W.2d 435).
Treasury still applies the rule. It does not recognize a court decision that impairs survivorship, and it accepts no notices of adverse claims (31 CFR 353.20(a), (c); 80 FR 80264, December 24, 2015).
The exception covers circumstances that "manifest fraud or a breach of trust tantamount thereto". A court decides it, not Treasury. Ask a Texas attorney whether the facts of a particular bond could qualify.
How Community Property Rules Apply to Each Kind of Bond Registration
Community property rules can still matter for a bond in one spouse's name alone, in a divorce and for the interest tax; a co-owner or POD beneficiary takes the bond unless a court finds fraud. The table gives each situation, who Treasury recognizes and the rule.
| Registration or event | Who Treasury recognizes | Rule | Where community property still matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| One owner only, owner dies | The owner's estate | 31 CFR 353.70(a) | The estate route decides who receives it (see the estate section); ask the estate's attorney |
| Co-owners ("OR"), one dies | The surviving co-owner, as sole owner | 353.70(b)(1); Free v. Bland | Only by a court finding of fraud or a breach of trust |
| POD beneficiary, owner dies | The surviving beneficiary, as sole owner | 353.70(c)(1) | Yiatchos v. Yiatchos, 376 U.S. 306 (1964): a spouse who did not consent may prove fraud; the beneficiary keeps at least the purchaser's half; see Washington unclaimed savings bonds and the beneficiary vs spouse rule |
| Divorce | The spouse a decree awards the bonds to | 353.22(a); 353.23 (decree over 6 months old: clerk's certificate dated within 6 months); payment instead of reissue on request | The decree must ratify or confirm a property settlement disposing of the bonds; see savings bonds in divorce |
| Interest tax, spouses filing separately | Each spouse reports half | IRS Publication 550 (2025) | Community property only (next section) |
Texas community property and savings bond registration. Sources: 31 CFR 353.20, 353.22, 353.23, 353.70 (eCFR as of November 9, 2026); Free v. Bland (1962); Yiatchos v. Yiatchos (1964); IRS Publication 550 (2025).
Community Property and the Tax on Savings Bond Interest
Spouses who hold savings bonds as community property and file separate federal returns each report half of the interest (IRS Publication 550 (2025)).
Interest is federally taxable at redemption or final maturity, whichever comes first, unless the owner reports it yearly (IRC 454). Co-owned Series HH bonds held as community property get one Form 1099-INT, sent to the person named first (TreasuryDirect HH tax page).
Divorce and death cases need a tax professional, and we state no Texas state tax. For who reports which half, see taxes on savings bond interest.
Texas Savings Bonds in an Estate: Muniment of Title, Small Estates and FS Form 5394
A Texas savings bond that goes to the owner's estate is claimed with FS Form 5394 (Rev. May 2026) when the estate was settled under a Texas Muniment of Title or another state procedure, or administered by a court and closed; FS Form 5336 cannot be used once a state procedure has been used (31 CFR 353.71(e)(1)(i)).
The form names "Texas Muniment of Title" beside Louisiana's Judgment of Possession. A certifying officer, not a notary, certifies the signature; see FS Form 5394 for closed estates and state small-estate procedures.
Administration is required when the bonds' redemption value at the date of death is more than $100,000 (353.71(d)). At $100,000 or less, with no administration and no state procedure, FS Form 5336 (Rev. April 2026) is the federal route.
Series HH bonds can only be cashed, not reissued, and Treasury does not reissue within one month of final maturity (353.45(b)). Ask the estate's attorney which procedure applies.
Paid Helpers in Texas Claims: The 10 Percent Cap in Tex. Prop. Code 74.507
Texas caps what a paid helper may charge for recovering property reported to or held by the Comptroller at 10 percent of its value, plus reasonable attorney's fees (Tex. Prop. Code 74.507(a)).
The agreement must be signed, name the property and the services, and state the value before and after the fee (74.507(c)). A percentage finder may not file or receive the claim form for you (74.507(b)).
Treasury pays a bond only to the owner or a person entitled (353.39(b)). For fees elsewhere, read about savings bond recovery services.
Related State Pages for Texas Bond Owners
5 other state pages connect to Texas's rules: one estate procedure, one escheat appeal Texas stayed out of, one state bond search and two higher finder caps.
- Louisiana unclaimed savings bonds: Judgment of Possession beside the Muniment of Title
- New Jersey unclaimed savings bonds: the escheat appeal Texas did not join
- Missouri unclaimed savings bonds: the only verified state bond search
- Florida unclaimed savings bonds: finder cap 30 percent
- New York unclaimed savings bonds: finder cap 15 percent, free-claim notice
More Guides for Texas Bond Owners and Heirs
7 related guides cover situations a Texas search does not.
- Savings bond lookup: every free search route
- Savings bonds of a deceased parent or relative
- Found old savings bonds
- POD savings bonds
- Savings bonds in probate: estate over $100,000
- Taxes on inherited savings bonds
- Help after a state contacts you about savings bonds
Texas Unclaimed Savings Bonds FAQ
How can I find unclaimed property in Texas?
Search ClaimItTexas from the Comptroller's unclaimed property page for property Texas holds; for savings bonds, also file FS Form 1048 with Treasury, because Texas holds only paper bonds it received.
Is there a statute of limitations on unclaimed property in Texas?
No time limit applies to cashing a US savings bond: bonds never expire (Executive Order 13968, 85 FR 83745). We state no Texas claim deadline, so ask the Comptroller.
What happens if unclaimed property is never claimed?
A savings bond nobody claims stays payable to its owner or heirs; it stops earning at final maturity, but its value is not lost. A bond Texas holds keeps its registration. See when savings bonds mature.
Does a Texas will decide who gets a co-owned savings bond?
No: a surviving co-owner owns a co-owned bond outright, and a Texas will or court order cannot change that (31 CFR 353.70(b)(1), 353.20(a); Free v. Bland). A will controls only bonds in the estate; see savings bonds after death.
Can Texas get savings bond records from Treasury?
No state, Texas included, is publicly known to have signed the agreement 31 CFR 323.11(b) requires before Treasury shares owner names and addresses (as of November 11, 2026). The data is for locating owners only, with no Social Security numbers or serials. Read what states can receive from Treasury.
Can someone with a power of attorney claim from the Texas Comptroller?
The Texas Comptroller may not pay a claim to a person holding a power of attorney from the owner or the owner's heirs, with limited exceptions, such as a durable power of attorney for a medically incapacitated owner (Tex. Prop. Code 74.501(e)(2), (f)(2)). Treasury's own rules govern the bond itself; see cashing savings bonds for someone else.
Can I search unclaimed savings bonds by name?
No public site searches Treasury's savings bond records by name since Treasury Hunt closed on September 30, 2025; owners and heirs claim with FS Form 1048, and state searches show only bonds a state holds. Read about unclaimed savings bonds for the full picture.
How we verify each rule is described in how we check every statute and court record.