DeKalb County excess funds: how to check the list and claim what's yours

If a home in DeKalb County (county seat: Decatur) sold at a foreclosure or tax sale for more than was owed, the leftover money may belong to you. Here's exactly who holds it, how to check for free, and how to claim it.

County contacts verified July 2026
In DeKalb County, Georgia, excess funds from a tax sale are held by the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner — Delinquent Collections Division, and surplus from a mortgage foreclosure starts with the foreclosing lender's attorney before any court deposit. The money legally belongs to the former owner, but you must file a claim to get it, and you can confirm whether money exists for free by calling (404) 298-4000.
Mortgage foreclosure surplus
Foreclosing attorney / lender (non-judicial sale); disputed funds interpleaded to DeKalb County Superior Court
Tax sale excess funds
DeKalb County Tax Commissioner — Delinquent Collections Division
County phone
(404) 371-2836
Cost to check yourself
$0. It's public record
How sales happen
In-person auction on the courthouse steps, first Tuesday, conducted by the Tax Commissioner; registration required for each sale
Our cost to you upfront
$0. Attorney and filing costs are on us

Is there a DeKalb County excess funds list?

Yes. The county publishes its official excess funds list here (pdf). It shows sales that left money behind; look for your name or the property address. The county's file can be hard to read and is only updated periodically, so if you don't find yourself on it, that does not mean no money exists: call the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner — Delinquent Collections Division at (404) 298-4000 and ask directly, or have us check the record for you free.

When are DeKalb County foreclosure sales, and how do I see the results?

In-person auction on the courthouse steps, first Tuesday, conducted by the Tax Commissioner; registration required for each sale. First Tuesday of the month, generally April through December; check-in 9 a.m., sale begins 10 a.m.. Location: DeKalb County Courthouse steps, 556 N. McDonough Street, Decatur, GA 30030. Sale listings and results are public. See the official DeKalb County sale site. Every result matters for one reason most people miss: if a home sold for more than the debt owed, the difference belongs to the former owner. That's the excess funds this page is about. Full details: DeKalb County foreclosure sales: schedule and results.

How to check if you're owed money from a DeKalb County sale

  1. Look up your foreclosure case for free: DeKalb County Superior Court judicial record search (Tyler portal, via dksuperiorclerk.com). Search by your name and note the case number and sale amount.
  2. Check the county's official excess funds list: view the DeKalb County list (PDF). Look for your name or the property address.
  3. Call the county directly: the Foreclosing attorney / lender (non-judicial sale); disputed funds interpleaded to DeKalb County Superior Court at (404) 371-2836 or the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner — Delinquent Collections Division at (404) 298-4000. Ask whether excess or surplus funds are being held from your sale. This call is free, and you owe nothing to anyone for making it.
  4. Prefer someone to check for you? We'll review the public record at no cost: request a free review. No upfront costs, ever.

How mortgage foreclosure surplus works in DeKalb County

Because Georgia foreclosures are non-judicial, the leftover money from a DeKalb mortgage foreclosure starts with the lender's foreclosure law firm, not the county. The firm's name appears on your foreclosure notices and in the sale ad published in The Champion, DeKalb County's legal newspaper (legals also posted at dekalblegalnotices.com). Write to that firm and request the surplus; if there are competing claims, the firm deposits the money with DeKalb County Superior Court and you file a claim in that interpleader case. Search DeKalb Superior Court records free on the Tyler portal or call the Clerk at (404) 371-2836.

According to publicly available Georgia statute (O.C.G.A. § 44-14-190), after the foreclosing lender and priority liens are paid, the surplus must be paid to the former owner. Because Georgia foreclosures happen outside of court, the money starts with the foreclosing attorney, and nobody is required to chase you down to hand it over. You can confirm any of this directly with the county at (404) 371-2836. We encourage it.

How tax-sale excess funds work in DeKalb County

DeKalb's Tax Commissioner posts its excess-funds list as a free PDF and takes claims through its Delinquent Collections Division (P.O. Box 100001, Decatur, GA 30031-7001). Only the person entitled to the money or their Georgia-licensed attorney may file — powers of attorney are not accepted. Download the fillable Excess Funds Claim Form, attach proof of identity and your interest in the property, and submit it; if several people claim the same money, the Tax Commissioner interpleads it to DeKalb Superior Court and a judge decides. Questions: (404) 298-4000.

According to publicly available Georgia statute (O.C.G.A. § 48-4-5), the county must notify the record owner within 30 days of the sale, and unclaimed excess funds are sent to the Georgia Department of Revenue after five years. After that, only a court order can release them. You can confirm any of this with the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner — Delinquent Collections Division at (404) 298-4000.

Official form: Excess Funds Claim Form (fillable PDF).

You can do all of this yourself, for free.The county will never charge you to check, and you don't need anyone's permission to file your own claim. Where we help is when it gets complicated: a deceased owner, competing liens, missed deadlines, or a court hearing. Our licensed attorneys handle the entire claim with no upfront costs: attorney fees, filing fees, and court costs are on us, and you pay nothing unless money is recovered.

Good to know in DeKalb County

  • DeKalb is one of the few metro counties that posts its full excess-funds list as a free public PDF on dekalbtax.org — the same file recovery companies mine before they call you.
  • Powers of attorney are explicitly not accepted for excess-funds claims: only the entitled party or their Georgia-licensed attorney can file.
  • Tax sales run generally April through December, first Tuesday, on the courthouse steps at 556 N. McDonough St. in Decatur — check-in starts 9 a.m., sale at 10 a.m.
  • Once competing claims are interpleaded to DeKalb Superior Court, the Tax Commissioner's office says it cannot provide further updates — the case moves to the court.
  • The county legal organ is The Champion (published Thursdays in Decatur); foreclosure notices also appear at dekalblegalnotices.com.

We help former homeowners throughout DeKalb County, including Stonecrest, Brookhaven, Dunwoody, Tucker, Chamblee, Decatur.

Related guides

Nearby counties: Bibb County, Chatham County, Cherokee County, Clayton County, Cobb County, Forsyth County, or see all of Georgia.

DeKalb County questions

Straight answers, before you ask.

The county publishes its official list at https://dekalbtax.org/wp-content/uploads/Excess-Funds-List.pdf (pdf). Not finding your name doesn't always mean no money exists. Lists update periodically, so confirm by calling the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner — Delinquent Collections Division at (404) 298-4000, or request a free record check from us.

Tax-sale excess funds are held by the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner — Delinquent Collections Division (per publicly available Georgia statute O.C.G.A. § 48-4-5). Mortgage-foreclosure surplus starts with the foreclosing lender's attorney and, if disputed, is deposited with the Superior Court. You can confirm directly with the county at (404) 298-4000, and we encourage it.

According to O.C.G.A. § 48-4-5, tax-sale excess funds unclaimed for five years are sent to the Georgia Department of Revenue, after which recovery requires a court order. The earlier you act, the simpler the claim. Confirm your sale date with the county and see our deadline guide.

Most Georgia counties accept claim forms only from the owner or a licensed attorney representing the owner, not from recovery firms or power-of-attorney holders. That is exactly how we work: a licensed Georgia attorney files your claim, with no upfront costs to you.

Yes. You never need to pay anyone to find out if money exists or to file a claim. The county process is free apart from routine court costs. Our guide on claiming surplus funds yourself walks through it. Where claims get complicated (a deceased owner, competing liens, missed notices), our attorneys handle everything with no upfront costs, and you pay nothing unless money is recovered.

Heirs can usually claim, but the money is treated as part of the estate, so counties and courts typically require probate paperwork before paying anyone. See our guide for heirs. This is one of the situations where attorney help matters most, and ours costs nothing upfront.

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