Free Calculator · After the Sale

NJ Surplus Funds Calculator

If the sheriff sale brought more than you owed, the difference does not belong to the bank or the buyer. After valid liens, it belongs to you. Estimate it here, then claim it without giving a finder a third.

1 · The sale
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The sheriff's office can tell you the struck-off price. If the lender bought it back, the price is usually at or below what it was owed.

$

On the Final Judgment in your court papers (or the case file).

$

Interest keeps running after judgment. If the sheriff published an 'upset price', the difference between it and the judgment is a good estimate.

$

Pre-filled with the statutory commission (6% of the first $5,000, 4% above that; N.J.S.A. 22A:4-8). Advertising and deed costs add to it; the sheriff's office has exact figures.

2 · Other liens paid before you
$
$
$

A title search or the foreclosure case file shows what is recorded. Leave blank if none.

Your estimate

Enter the sale price and the final judgment amount to see whether the auction likely produced surplus money, and roughly how much of it could be yours.

An estimate for education, not a promise of any amount. Lien priority and entitlement are decided by the court. Nothing you type leaves this page.

How to claim it yourself

  1. 1

    Confirm there is money

    Call or email the Superior Court Trust Fund Unit with your foreclosure docket number and ask whether surplus funds were deposited in your case: (609) 815-2900, SCCOTrustfund.Mailbox@njcourts.gov. The sheriff’s office can also confirm the final sale price.

  2. 2

    Check for junior liens

    A second mortgage, HELOC, judgment creditors, or other recorded liens are paid from the surplus before the owner. The foreclosure case file or a title search shows what is recorded.

  3. 3

    File a motion to withdraw surplus money

    Release requires a court order under Court Rules 4:64-3 and 4:64-9. If you were a party to the foreclosure, the motion goes to the Office of Foreclosure; non-parties apply to the Chancery judge in the county where the property is. The motion must be served on all parties named in the foreclosure.

  4. 4

    Get help if it is contested

    If a lienholder or co-owner disputes the claim, a judge decides. Legal Services of New Jersey (1-888-576-5529) helps income-eligible homeowners, and a private attorney usually charges a flat or hourly fee far below a finder’s percentage.

If the sale has not happened yet, a sheriff sale is the worst-priced way to turn equity into money. Selling before the auction, using the adjournments New Jersey law generally allows, almost always protects more of it than hoping for a surplus afterward. Compare a sale before the auction.

Related

Quick answers

How do I know if there are surplus funds from my New Jersey sheriff sale?

Compare the final sale price to what the lender was owed plus the sheriff’s commission and costs. If the sale brought more, the difference was deposited with the Superior Court Trust Fund. The Trust Fund Unit, (609) 815-2900, can confirm whether money was deposited in your case if you give them the docket number.

Who gets surplus funds after a foreclosure sale in NJ?

Valid junior lienholders, such as a second mortgage, a HELOC, or judgment creditors, are paid first in order of priority. Whatever remains belongs to the former owner. The court decides priority when there is more than one claim.

How do I claim surplus funds in New Jersey?

By filing a motion to withdraw surplus money under Court Rules 4:64-3 and 4:64-9, served on all parties to the foreclosure. Parties to the case file with the Office of Foreclosure; non-parties apply to the Chancery judge in the county where the property is located.

Do I need a surplus funds recovery company?

No. Finders often charge a quarter to a third of the money for work that is fundamentally a court filing. You can file the motion yourself, get free help from Legal Services of New Jersey if you qualify, or pay an attorney a flat or hourly fee. Never sign an agreement assigning your claim before you know independently whether money exists.

How accurate is this calculator?

It is an educational estimate. Real figures depend on the exact interest and costs added to the judgment, the sheriff’s actual fees, and every lien recorded against the property. The court and the Trust Fund Unit have the authoritative numbers.

Educational information, not legal advice. Sources: New Jersey Superior Court Clerk's Office, Superior Court Trust Fund; N.J. Court Rules 4:64-3 and 4:64-9; N.J.S.A. 22A:4-8. Lien priority and entitlement are case-specific; a licensed New Jersey attorney can confirm what applies to you.

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