Tax Lien Blog
Real stories from a real investor. No fluff, just what worked and what didn't.
How to Become a Surplus Funds Recovery Agent in 2026: State Rules, Fee Caps and Real Startup Costs
A surplus funds recovery agent finds former owners whose property sold at a tax or foreclosure sale for more than was owed, explains the money to them, and helps them claim it for an agreed fee.
How to Claim Surplus Funds in Florida: Tax Deed and Foreclosure Surplus, Step by Step
Florida has two kinds of surplus: tax deed surplus, held by the county clerk under Fla. Stat. 197.582, and mortgage foreclosure surplus, held by the clerk of the court that handled the foreclosure under Fla. Stat. 45.032.
How to Claim Surplus Funds After a Foreclosure: A Step-by-Step Guide for Former Owners
Foreclosure surplus funds are what is left when a foreclosed home sells at auction for more than the loan balance, costs and fees. After lienholders that rank ahead of you are paid, the rest belongs to the former owner.
Surplus Funds Courses Compared: Overages Blueprint vs Surplus Funds Profit System (2026)
Two of the most searched surplus funds programs are Bob Diamond's Overages Blueprint and Eric Richardson's Surplus Funds Profit System. Both teach the business of helping former owners claim surplus funds for a fee.
Is Surplus Funds Recovery Legit? Red Flags, Scams and the Fee Caps in Every State
Surplus funds are real. When a property sells at a tax or foreclosure sale for more than was owed, counties and courts hold the extra money for the former owner and lienholders, and they publish lists of it.
How Long Does It Take to Get Surplus Funds? Claim Windows and Payout Times by State
There are two clocks: how long you have to file a claim, and how long it takes to be paid once you file. People mix them up all the time.
Tyler v. Hennepin County, Three Years On: What It Means for Surplus Funds and Home Equity
On May 25, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 9 to 0 in Tyler v. Hennepin County that a county which sells a home for unpaid property taxes cannot keep the equity left after the debt is paid. Keeping it is a taking under the Fifth Amendment.
Tax Sale Overages vs Foreclosure Surplus Funds: Who Holds the Money and Who Can Claim It
Tax sale overages come from a property sold for unpaid property taxes. Foreclosure surplus comes from a property sold because a mortgage or other loan was not paid. Both are the money left after the debt and costs are paid.
Surplus Funds When the Owner Has Died: How Heirs Claim, and What Agents Need to Know
When the former owner has died, surplus funds from a tax sale or foreclosure belong to the owner's estate. The county or court pays whoever has legal authority for the estate, not simply whoever asks first.
California Excess Proceeds: How the Claim Works in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange and Every County
In California, money left after a tax-defaulted property sale is called excess proceeds. Parties of interest, meaning lienholders and the owners of record, can claim it from the county under Revenue and Taxation Code section 4675.
Georgia Excess Funds: How Tax Sale Claims Work Under O.C.G.A. 48-4-5
In Georgia, excess funds are what is left when a tax sale brings in more than the taxes, interest and costs. The tax commissioner (or sheriff) who held the sale keeps the money and pays it out under O.C.G.A. 48-4-5.
Texas Excess Proceeds: How Tax Sale Claims Work, and Why Only Attorneys Can Charge
In Texas, excess proceeds are what is left after a tax foreclosure sale pays the judgment, taxes and costs. The district clerk holds the money in the registry of the court that ordered the sale.
Ohio Foreclosure Surplus: How to Claim Excess Funds From a Sheriff's Sale
In Ohio, excess funds are what is left when a sheriff's sale brings in more than the judgment, interest and costs. The sheriff hands the balance to the clerk of courts within 45 days after the court confirms the sale.
Pennsylvania Excess Funds: How Tax Sale Surplus Claims Work Under the Real Estate Tax Sale Law
In most Pennsylvania counties, the county tax claim bureau sells tax-delinquent property at an upset sale or a judicial sale. When the price is more than what is owed, the extra is excess funds, sometimes called overbid or surplus.
Overages Meaning: What Tax Sale Overages Are, Who the Money Belongs To, and How Claims Work
An overage is the money left over when a property sells at a tax sale for more than the taxes owed. It is also called surplus funds or excess proceeds, and it belongs to the former owner, not the county.