Connecticut at a glance
Checked against the sources cited, 2026-09-19
| Topic | What the law says, and where it says it |
|---|---|
| How foreclosure works here | Connecticut foreclosures are court cases. The court can enter a strict foreclosure, where title passes to the lender without any sale, or, on the written motion of any party and at the court's discretion, it can order a foreclosure by sale instead. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 49-24; Conn. Gen. Stat. § 49-15 (strict foreclosure judgments) Show the source textAll liens and mortgages affecting real property may, on the written motion of any party to any suit relating thereto, be foreclosed (1) by a decree of sale instead of a strict foreclosure at the discretion of the court |
| Who holds foreclosure surplus | Sale proceeds exist only when the court orders a foreclosure by sale. The proceeds are brought into the Superior Court, and after the sale is approved the court enters a supplemental judgment that names who is paid and how much. The Judicial Branch's standing orders tell owners who did not appear in the case to check with the Clerk of the Court after the sale to learn if any money is distributable to them. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 49-27; Connecticut Judicial Branch, Foreclosure by Sale Standing Orders, form JD-CV-79 (Rev. 7-25), paragraphs 2, 20 and 23 Show the source textThe proceeds of each such sale shall be brought into court, there to be applied if the sale is ratified, in accordance with the provisions of a supplemental judgment then to be rendered in the cause |
| Claim window for foreclosure surplus | The foreclosure statutes do not set a deadline for a former owner to claim sale proceeds held by the court. The Judicial Branch's standing orders say a motion for supplemental judgment, which asks the court to pay out the proceeds, should be filed within 90 days of the court's approval of the sale. Under the unclaimed property law, property held for the owner by a court that stays unclaimed for more than three years is presumed abandoned, and property turned over to the State Treasurer can be claimed at any time. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 3-62a; Conn. Gen. Stat. § 3-70a(a); Connecticut Judicial Branch form JD-CV-79 (Rev. 7-25), paragraph 23 Show the source textAll property held for the owner by any court, public corporation, public authority or public officer of this state, or a political subdivision thereof, which has remained unclaimed by the owner for more than three years is presumed abandoned |
| Tax sale excess proceeds | Connecticut towns can sell the real estate itself at a tax collector's sale, and the owner or a lienholder can redeem within six months after the sale (60 days for abandoned property or where a local ordinance applies). Any excess over the taxes, interest, fees and costs is held by the municipality in a separate escrow account during the redemption period. If the property is not redeemed, the tax collector pays the remaining excess to the clerk of the Superior Court within ten days, and the former owner or a lienholder has ninety days from that payment to apply to the court for it. If no application is filed, the money escheats to the state under the unclaimed property law. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 12-157(f), (i)(1)-(3) Show the source textmay, within ninety days of the date the tax collector paid the moneys to the court, file an application with the court for return of the proceeds |
| Redemption after the sale | Connecticut's mortgage foreclosure statutes do not set a redemption period that runs after a foreclosure sale. In a foreclosure by sale the statute refers to the property being redeemed at any time before the court approves the sale. In a strict foreclosure the court sets law days, and once title has become absolute in the lender the judgment generally cannot be opened. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 49-25; Conn. Gen. Stat. § 49-15(a)(1), (b); Conn. Gen. Stat. § 49-26 Show the source textif the property is redeemed at any time prior to the approval of the sale, or if for any reason the sale does not take place |
| Rules for recovery companies | For property that has been reported to the State Treasurer as unclaimed, an agreement to locate the property is not valid if it is made within two years after the date the holder's report was required to be filed, or if the fee or other compensation is more than ten per cent of the value of the recoverable property. An agreement made on or after January 1, 2025 must be in writing, signed by the owner, and must clearly and conspicuously disclose the nature and value of the property, the owner's share after the fee, and that the owner can file a claim directly with the Treasurer at no cost. Any solicitation to locate unclaimed property must carry the same free-claim disclosure, and the Treasurer may withhold payment to anyone other than the owner if the agreement or solicitation does not comply. We did not find a Connecticut statute that sets a fee limit or waiting period for recovering foreclosure sale proceeds held by the Superior Court or tax sale excess. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 3-70a(c)(1)(B), (c)(2)(B), (c)(3)-(6) (2026 Supplement) Show the source textany person undertakes to locate property included in a report of unclaimed property that is required to be filed under section 3-65a for a fee or other compensation exceeding ten per cent of the value of the recoverable property |
How surplus funds arise in Connecticut
When a home in Connecticut is sold at a foreclosure sale or a tax sale for more than the debt and the costs of the sale, the money left over is surplus funds, also called excess proceeds or overage. It does not belong to the lender or to the buyer. Liens recorded behind the foreclosed debt are paid first, and what remains belongs to the former owner or to the owner's heirs. Read surplus funds explained for the general rules and liens and competing claims for the order of payment.
How a claim moves in Connecticut
We confirm the sale figures in the public record, identify which office in Connecticut is holding the money, and prepare and file the claim the way that office requires, advancing the costs. Because we bring the whole record with us, the claim does not stall on a missing document, a competing name or a missed date. See how to qualify for what we handle and what you provide. Notices about surplus are usually mailed to the last address on record, which is often the home that was sold, so do not wait for a letter. In Connecticut that program is the Unclaimed Property Division, Connecticut Office of the Treasurer (CTBigList.gov).
If the owner has died
The right to the money belongs to the estate. Depending on the size of the estate, Connecticut law may allow a simplified procedure, or a probate court may need to appoint a personal representative. See estate and heir recovery and probate assistance.
Working with a recovery company in Connecticut
Connecticut regulates this kind of service. For property that has been reported to the State Treasurer as unclaimed, an agreement to locate the property is not valid if it is made within two years after the date the holder's report was required to be filed, or if the fee or other compensation is more than ten per cent of the value of the recoverable property. An agreement made on or after January 1, 2025 must be in writing, signed by the owner, and must clearly and conspicuously disclose the nature and value of the property, the owner's share after the fee, and that the owner can file a claim directly with the Treasurer at no cost. Any solicitation to locate unclaimed property must carry the same free-claim disclosure, and the Treasurer may withhold payment to anyone other than the owner if the agreement or solicitation does not comply. We did not find a Connecticut statute that sets a fee limit or waiting period for recovering foreclosure sale proceeds held by the Superior Court or tax sale excess. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 3-70a(c)(1)(B), (c)(2)(B), (c)(3)-(6) (2026 Supplement))
Any agreement you sign, with us or with anyone else, has to follow that rule.
No out-of-pocket expense. Our only payment is a completion fee taken from the surplus once it is recovered. Where your state requires a licensed attorney for a court or probate filing, a licensed attorney handles it, and you still pay nothing out of pocket. Before you sign with anyone, read what a surplus funds scam looks like.
Questions about surplus funds in Connecticut
Enough to prove who you are and how you held the property: identification, the deeds, any notice you received, and, if the owner has died, the estate paperwork. We do the rest for Connecticut, from locating the funds to filing the claim.
Sale proceeds exist only when the court orders a foreclosure by sale. The proceeds are brought into the Superior Court, and after the sale is approved the court enters a supplemental judgment that names who is paid and how much. The Judicial Branch's standing orders tell owners who did not appear in the case to check with the Clerk of the Court after the sale to learn if any money is distributable to them.
No out-of-pocket expense. We advance the costs and are paid a completion fee from the surplus only after it is recovered. Where a court or probate filing requires a licensed attorney, a licensed attorney handles it.