What started as a personal discovery quickly opened my eyes to something much larger. I realized surplus funds weren’t just an overlooked detail in a few cases — they were part of a nationwide issue that quietly affects thousands of families every year.

Across the country, people are losing their homes over small debts — a missed tax bill, an unpaid utility balance, sometimes less than one month’s mortgage payment. Properties worth hundreds of thousands of dollars are auctioned off almost every day, and the families who once owned them often never learn they’re owed money from the sale.

In cities like New York, Baltimore, and Chicago, investigations have revealed how inequitable tax systems and aggressive lien sales strip families of both their homes and the generational wealth they spent years building. When those homes are sold at auction, the courts rarely go out of their way to notify the rightful owners about the surplus funds left over — money that legally belongs to them.

Below, you’ll find stories, articles, and guides that explore why this issue matters, how surplus recovery works, and what steps you can take to protect your rights.