Ohioans Claim $182.5 Million in Unclaimed Funds as Stadium Fight Continues

Ohioans recovered $182.57 million from the state’s unclaimed funds during the 2026 fiscal year, nearly tripling the number of paid claims compared with the previous year.

The surge in payouts comes amid an ongoing political and legal battle over using a portion of those same funds to help finance professional sports stadium projects.

Worth reading: The State By State Guide to Unclaimed Assets
 

Payouts surged in 2026

According to the Ohio Department of Commerce, there were 884,912 claims filed for a total of $746.50 million in unclaimed funds during the 2026 fiscal year. Of those, 184,083 claims were actually paid, returning $182.57 million to residents.

By comparison, in fiscal year 2025 just 68,787 claims were paid, totaling $109.73 million.

The sharp increase in both claims and payouts suggests that public awareness of unclaimed funds has grown—likely influenced by the controversy over how the state plans to use part of the untouched balance.

Ohio’s unclaimed funds represent money that belongs to residents but is temporarily held by the state, including:

• Forgotten bank accounts

• Uncashed checks

• Rent or utility deposits

• Insurance proceeds and similar dormant assets

Anyone who believes they may be owed money can search and learn more through the Ohio Department of Commerce.
 

Using unclaimed funds for stadiums

In 2025, Gov. Mike DeWine and state lawmakers approved using $1 billion from Ohio’s unclaimed funds as part of the state’s two-year operating budget. Under that plan:

• $600 million is earmarked for the Cleveland Browns’ new domed stadium in Brook Park, roughly 15 miles south of downtown Cleveland.

• The remaining $400 million is reserved for other eligible cultural and sports projects, as determined by the Ohio Office of Budget and Management and the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission.

At least 22 applicants sought a share of that $400 million; eight have been denied, leaving 14 facilities still in the running. Teams with projects still under consideration include:

• Cincinnati Bengals

• Cleveland Cavaliers

• Columbus Blue Jackets

• Cleveland Guardians

• FC Cincinnati

The budget language allows the state to transfer existing unclaimed funds that are at least 10 years old as of Jan. 1, 2026 into the Ohio Cultural and Sports Facility Performance Grant Fund.

Importantly, it also gives property owners until 2036 to file a claim even if their money has been moved into that fund.

Ohio’s total pool of unclaimed funds is estimated at close to $5 billion, meaning there is still a significant balance beyond what has been targeted for stadium and facility projects.
 

Court battles over Browns stadium funding

The decision to tap unclaimed funds for stadium construction has sparked intense pushback. Two former Democratic lawmakers—former state Rep. Jeff Crossman and former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann—filed a class action lawsuit challenging the use of unclaimed funds for the Browns’ new stadium.

Key legal developments include:

• A Franklin County Common Pleas Court magistrate, Jennifer Hunt, granted a preliminary injunction blocking the state from using unclaimed funds to help pay for the Browns’ stadium.

• The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, however, later sided with the state, allowing aspects of the funding plan to move forward at the federal level even as state-level litigation continues.

Despite the legal wrangling, the Browns have already broken ground on the new domed stadium in Brook Park, and it is currently expected to be ready for the 2029 NFL season, according to the NFL.
 

What unclaimed funds are—and what they are not

Ohio’s unclaimed funds are not a surplus or slush fund; they represent money legally belonging to individuals or businesses that the state holds until claimed. Examples include:

• Dormant bank accounts

• Uncashed insurance checks or payments

• Security deposits and other forgotten balances

When someone files an initiated claim, they must submit documentation proving ownership—such as identification, old account statements, or other records—before the state will release the funds.

Because unclaimed funds remain the property of Ohioans, the use of older, unclaimed balances for stadium funding has raised questions about fairness, transparency, and long-term fiscal policy.
 

What it means for Ohioans

For residents, the key takeaways are:

• More money is being paid out: Ohioans collected $182.5 million in the 2026 fiscal year—significantly more than the prior year’s total.

• Billions are still unclaimed: With nearly $5 billion sitting in the unclaimed funds system, many Ohioans may still be owed money they have not yet claimed.

• You still have time to claim your funds: Even if some older balances are redirected into the stadium grant fund, property owners generally have until 2036 to file claims and receive their money.

Anyone curious about whether they have unclaimed funds should search their name on the official Ohio Department of Commerce unclaimed funds page and follow the instructions to submit a claim if they find a match.

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