o find a deceased person's assets in India, start with 12 months of their bank statements. Insurance premiums, SIPs, dividends, and interest credits point to most of the assets a person held. Then search RBI UDGAM for bank deposits, Bima Bharosa for insurance, MITRA for mutual funds, and IEPF for shares, and contact each institution you identify. No single portal lists everything a person owned.
If you are also handling bills, taxes, and account closures, see our guide to managing finances after the death of a family member.
Step 1: Follow the money trail in bank statements
A bank statement shows where money went and where it came from. Debits reveal what the person was paying into. Credits reveal what was paying them. Both lead to institutions.
| Entry in the statement | What it usually points to |
|---|---|
| Debit to an insurer, or narration such as "PREM" | Life or health insurance policy |
| Debit marked "SIP", "ACH" or "NACH" to a fund house | Mutual fund folio |
| Debit to PPF, post office or NPS | Small-savings or pension account |
| Credit marked "DIV" with a company name | Shareholding |
| Interest credit from another bank | Fixed deposit or account at that bank |
| Salary credit | Employer, and therefore an EPF account |
| Pension or EPFO credit | Pension or provident fund account |
| Rent credit | Property |
Repeat this for every account you know about. Write down every institution you don't recognise; each one is a lead.
Step 2: Gather records that list several assets at once
A few records can reveal assets across many institutions in one place.
- Income-tax records. A legal heir can register on the income-tax e-filing portal as the deceased's representative, using the death certificate, the deceased's PAN, their own PAN and a legal heir certificate. Once the department approves the request, the heir can view the deceased's tax records. Form 26AS and the Annual Information Statement record interest, dividends and securities and mutual fund transactions reported by banks, companies and fund houses.
- Consolidated Account Statement (CAS). If the family can lawfully access the deceased's registered email, request a CAS from MF Central for mutual funds, or from NSDL for demat holdings linked to the PAN.
- Employment records. Salary slips, Form 16, appointment letters and PF statements identify past employers and the Universal Account Number (UAN).
- Physical papers. Passbooks, fixed-deposit receipts, share certificates, policy bonds, property deeds and tax receipts.
Missing documents do not mean an asset is lost. Most institutions can trace an account using the holder's name, date of birth, PAN and other identifiers.
Step 3: Search the official source for each asset type
Each source covers one asset category, and each has blind spots. The last column tells you when to stop relying on the portal and contact the institution directly.
| Asset | Where to search | What you need | What it won't show |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank deposits | RBI UDGAM | Account holder's name plus an identifier such as PAN or date of birth | Active accounts, or deposits not yet classed as unclaimed (inactive for 10 years) |
| Life insurance | IRDAI Bima Bharosa, which links to each insurer's unclaimed-amount search | Policyholder's name, date of birth, PAN or policy number; fields vary by insurer | Policies where the money hasn't yet become unclaimed. After a recent death, contact the insurer directly |
| Mutual funds | MITRA, through the link on MF Central | PAN and other investor details | Folios with any investor activity in the last 10 years. Use the CAS for those |
| Shares and dividends | IEPF Authority | Shareholder's name and company details | Shares still in a demat account or with the company's registrar |
| EPF and EDLI | EPFO member portal and past employers | UAN, or employer name and PF member ID | Old accounts never linked to a UAN. Ask the employer |
| NPS | NPS Central Recordkeeping Agency | PRAN | Accounts the family can't link to a PRAN |
| Property | Sub-registrar office and the state land-records portal | Property location and survey or registration number | Any property whose location you don't know. There is no national ownership search |
Once you've found an asset, use the matching guide: the EPF death-claim process, insurance claim help or shares and IEPF recovery.
Step 4: Track every lead until it's confirmed or closed
Keep one tracker for the whole search:
| Lead | Evidence | Next action | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Possible EPF account | 2016 salary slip | Ask former employer for PF member ID | Awaiting reply |
| Possible insurance policy | Annual premium debit in bank statement | Search insurer's unclaimed-amount page; then contact insurer | To verify |
| Possible shareholding | Dividend credit from a listed company | Check IEPF; contact company's registrar | To verify |
When a search returns nothing, mark it "not found yet", not "doesn't exist". Spelling variations, old addresses and older investments never linked to a PAN can hide a match. Retry with alternate spellings and previous addresses before closing a lead.
Finding an asset is not the same as claiming it
Recovery happens in three stages:
- Discovery: confirming the account, policy, investment or property exists.
- Entitlement: establishing who can claim it and what proof is required.
- Claim: following the institution's process to transfer or pay out the asset.
A nominee is not always the final owner, and not every claim needs a succession certificate. Requirements depend on the asset, the amount, the institution and whether there is a will. For specific cases, see our guides on EDLI nominee and legal-heir rights, delayed or rejected EDLI claims and when you need a succession certificate.
Protect the estate: No legitimate recovery service or institution will ask for OTPs, passwords or banking credentials. Dormant accounts of deceased people are a common target for fraud.
Get help tracing and claiming family assets
Kustodian works with families on EPF and EDLI, insurance, shares and inheritance cases. We review the evidence you already have, identify which institutions are likely to hold an asset, and manage the documentation and follow-up through to the claim. No one can guarantee every asset will be found, but after the first review you'll know which leads are worth pursuing and what each one needs.
Frequently asked questions
Is there one portal that shows all of a deceased person's assets in India?
No. Each portal covers one asset type. The closest thing to a cross-institution view is the deceased's income-tax records, which a registered legal heir can access, and the Consolidated Account Statement for mutual funds and demat holdings.
Can family members search UDGAM or insurer portals for someone who has died?
Yes. These searches use the account holder's or policyholder's details, not the searcher's. Claiming any amount found still requires proof of entitlement, such as a death certificate and nomination or legal-heir documents.
How do I find a deceased person's EPF account without a UAN?
Use salary slips, Form 16 or old PF statements to identify the employer and PF member ID. The employer or the EPFO office can then trace the account. Once identified, follow the EPF death-claim process.
Do I need a succession certificate to search for a deceased person's assets?
No. Searching portals and contacting institutions does not require one. Some claims may require it later, depending on the asset, the amount and whether a valid nomination exists.
