Florida tax deed surplus recovery, handled.
If your former Florida property sold at a tax deed auction, the County Clerk may be holding surplus funds in your name. We file the claim, navigate the 120-day statutory window, and remit your share — with no upfront cost.
What is a tax deed surplus?
When a Florida property is sold at a tax deed auction, it often sells for more than the back taxes owed. The difference — the surplus — does not belong to the County. It belongs to the former property owner, their heirs, or certain junior lienholders, and it waits at the Clerk's office until someone with standing files a claim under Florida Statute § 197.582.
The statute gives claimants 120 days from the Clerk's Notice of Surplus to file. After that window closes, the funds sit in a holding account and eventually transfer to the State as unclaimed property, adding roughly a year of delay to any eventual recovery.
How it works
We work only on contingency. There is no upfront cost, no monthly fee, and no fee at all if nothing is recovered.
- We identify your matter from the County Clerk's public tax deed records and contact you.
- We schedule a brief consultation to confirm your identity and explain the claim process.
- You sign the claim packet in a 15-minute remote online notarization session from your phone or computer.
- We file with the Clerk, monitor the docket, and remit your share once funds are released — 70% to you, 30% to us, paid within 48 hours of clearance.
Your three options — honestly compared
You have three real paths to recover a Florida tax deed surplus. We'll lay them out side by side so you can pick what fits.
| File it yourself | Hire a Florida attorney | Hire StratosPath | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $0 | Retainer, typically $500–$2,500 | $0 |
| Fee if funds recovered | $0 | Hourly or 33–40% contingency | 30% contingency only |
| Fee if no recovery | $0 | Retainer typically not refundable | $0 — we don't get paid |
| Paperwork we handle | You do all of it | The firm handles filing | We handle filing, follow-ups, and notarization scheduling |
| If the matter goes to court | You hire your own attorney | Firm represents you (fees apply) | We withdraw, refer you to legal aid, no fee owed |
| Best for | Simple cases, claimant has time and paperwork skill | Contested matters or complex heirship | Standard uncontested surplus recovery — the 95% case |
If your matter is simple and you have the time, filing yourself is a reasonable choice and we'll tell you exactly what form to use. If it's contested or you need a hearing, we're the wrong fit and we'll refer you to an attorney. If it's in between — which is most cases — that's where we work.
Tax deed surpluses in Florida regularly reach five figures — sometimes six.
On residential parcels in counties like Miami-Dade, Broward, Collier, and Sarasota, surplus funds after a tax deed sale commonly run into the tens of thousands of dollars. The money is already there, in the Clerk's holding account, waiting for someone with standing to file.
What makes us different
We walk away when court is involved — no fee owed.
If the County Clerk refers your matter to interpleader, or a junior lienholder contests the claim, we withdraw on the spot. You're referred to legal aid at no charge. Most recovery companies either push forward (adding legal fees) or force you to sign over control. We don't.
We tell you the amount even if you don't hire us.
Email or call us with the property and we'll tell you what the Clerk is holding — and which claim form applies — whether or not you sign with us. The entire industry treats surplus amounts as leverage. We treat them as public information, because they are.
We focus on Florida only, and we list every Clerk.
We don't chase multiple states, and we don't hide which office your claim gets filed with. Our county guide lists every one of our 17 target counties' Clerk address, phone, and filing hours — because you should be able to walk in and file yourself if you want to.
Find information for your county
Every Florida county handles tax deed surplus claims slightly differently — different Clerk offices, different claim packets, different sale venues. Our county-by-county guide covers the Clerk contact, sale venue, and local specifics for each of Florida's highest-volume tax deed counties, plus major cities including Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, and Naples.
What we are — and what we are not
- We are not a law firm. We do not give legal advice or appear in court.
- We handle the administrative claim with the Clerk — the part of the process that does not require a licensed attorney.
- If any matter enters interpleader or contested proceedings, we step out and refer you to legal aid. You owe us nothing in that case.
- You are never required to use us — or any representative — to claim what's yours. We will tell you the surplus amount and which paperwork to use at no cost, even if you prefer to file on your own.
We are not a law firm. StratosPath Acquisitions, LLC is a Florida limited liability company providing administrative filing assistance for tax deed surplus claims under F.S. § 197.582. We do not provide legal advice, do not represent claimants in court, and do not appear at contested hearings. You have an unconditional right to file your own claim directly with your County Clerk at no cost.
Ready to check?
Tell us the property or the former owner's name. We'll reply within one business day with the Clerk's surplus amount on record and the applicable deadline.