Search Dickinson County Unclaimed Money
Dickinson County unclaimed money covers funds held by the Michigan Department of Treasury, tax foreclosure surplus proceeds, and county-held property from Iron Mountain and surrounding townships. The county seat of Iron Mountain serves as the hub for Dickinson County's tax administration under Central time zone hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Dickinson County Overview
Michigan Treasury Unclaimed Property
Start your search at the Michigan Department of Treasury's free online portal. The state holds over $675 million in unclaimed property returned to residents over the last five years. Dickinson County residents can search at unclaimedproperty.michigan.gov or call (517) 636-5320. Email inquiries go to TreasUPD@michigan.gov.
Common types of unclaimed property include dormant checking and savings accounts, uncashed payroll checks, insurance refunds, utility deposits, and forgotten safe deposit box contents. Companies are required by law to report and remit these funds to the state after a set dormancy period. Once the state has them, they stay indefinitely until the rightful owner or heir files a claim. There is no deadline to file, and there is no cost to search or claim.
The Dickinson County website is shown here. Check the county's own portal for local tax records after searching the state database.
Use both resources together for the most complete picture of unclaimed funds tied to Dickinson County.
Dickinson County Treasurer Office
Dickinson County is located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and operates on Central time. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Central. The county seat of Iron Mountain houses the Treasurer's office. Dickinson is one of the newer Michigan counties, organized on May 21, 1891, carved from parts of Iron, Marquette, and Menominee counties. It was the last of Michigan's 83 counties to be organized.
| Office | Dickinson County Treasurer |
|---|---|
| County Seat | Iron Mountain |
| Hours | Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM (Central) |
| Website | dickinsoncountymi.gov |
| Time Zone | Central (note when calling from Eastern MI) |
Note: Dickinson County is one of several Upper Peninsula counties that operates on Central time, not Eastern. Factor in the time difference when calling from other parts of Michigan.
Tax Foreclosure Surplus Claims
Michigan law changed significantly after the 2020 Rafaeli v. Oakland County ruling. The Michigan Supreme Court held that former property owners have a right to surplus proceeds when a foreclosed property sells for more than the taxes owed. This applies to foreclosures in Dickinson County just as it does across the rest of the state.
Under MCL 211.78t, the process for claiming surplus from foreclosures that happened after 2020 requires Form 5743, filed by July 1 of the year following the foreclosure sale. Form 5744 follows by January 31 the next year. If you missed those windows, the CC540 motion filed in circuit court between February 1 and May 15 may still be available. For foreclosures that happened between 2015 and 2020, different forms apply.
The standard three-year delinquency cycle under MCL 211.78 (Public Act 123 of 1999) works as follows in Dickinson County:
- March 1, Year 1: Taxes become delinquent. A 4% administrative fee and 1% monthly interest begin accruing.
- March 1, Year 2: Property is forfeited to the county. Interest increases to 1.5% per month plus additional fees.
- April 1, Year 3: Foreclosure is complete. Title transfers unless all taxes are paid by the redemption deadline.
Note: Contact the Dickinson County Treasurer directly before the foreclosure deadline to confirm current year amounts owed and any local procedures.
Property Auctions and Tax Sales
After foreclosure, Dickinson County properties go to public auction. Tax-Sale.info at tax-sale.info covers auctions for 74 or more Michigan counties. You can reach them at 800-259-7470. Auction listings show properties available for purchase, along with minimum bid amounts that typically cover the total tax debt and fees.
Buyers at tax auctions take the property free and clear of prior tax liens. If the sale price exceeds the outstanding debt, the surplus is subject to claims under MCL 211.78t for post-2020 foreclosures.
Free Legal Help
The Michigan Legal Help website at michiganlegalhelp.org walks through the surplus claim process step by step. If you need an attorney, the State Bar of Michigan's Lawyer Referral Service is available at (800) 968-0738 or lrs.michbar.org.
Legal Services of Eastern Michigan (LSEM) offers free civil legal help for qualifying lower-income residents. Call (800) 322-4512 or check lsem-mi.org for intake hours. MIHAF grants at michigan.gov/mihaf provide up to $25,000 for qualifying homeowners facing foreclosure.
Cities in Dickinson County
Dickinson County includes Iron Mountain, Kingsford, and several smaller communities. None exceed the 100,000 population threshold for a dedicated city page. All records and unclaimed funds searches for residents of these communities run through the Dickinson County Treasurer's office in Iron Mountain.
Nearby Counties
Dickinson County borders several other counties in the Upper Peninsula and along the Wisconsin state line. Each follows the same Michigan tax foreclosure statutes for surplus claims.