We locate money the states are holding in your name — and manage the entire claim, from first search to final payment, for a fee capped at ten percent.
Dormant bank accounts. Uncashed checks. Forgotten securities and mineral royalties. Every year, billions in private assets are turned over to state treasuries under laws that require them to hold it until the rightful owner steps forward. We find that owner. Often, it's you.
The Law Behind It
What is unclaimed property?
When an account sits inactive long enough — typically three years or more — banks, employers, insurance companies, and other holders are required by law to turn the funds over to the state. The legal term is escheatment. It is not a penalty, and it is not confiscation: the state becomes a custodian, holding the asset on your behalf.
Once received, state treasuries hold these assets indefinitely. But they rarely announce themselves. Records end up under old addresses, maiden names, or dissolved business entities — which is why most of this money is never claimed by the people it belongs to.
- i.Dormant bank accountsChecking, savings, CDs closed out or forgotten after a move.
- ii.Uncashed checksPayroll, refunds, insurance disbursements never deposited.
- iii.Securities & dividendsStock shares, mutual funds, dividends paid to stale addresses.
- iv.Mineral royaltiesOil, gas, and mining payments owed to landowners and heirs.
- v.Estate assetsFunds belonging to deceased relatives, claimable by heirs.
The Process
How it works
Four steps, handled almost entirely by us. You review and sign; we do the rest.
We identify
Using name variations, prior addresses, and business records, we search state databases for assets matching you or your company — including records you would be unlikely to find on your own.
We verify ownership
We confirm the property belongs to you and gather the documentation the state requires: identity records, proof of past address or association with the account, supporting paperwork.
We prepare & file
We complete the claim forms, assemble the documentation package to the state's exact specifications, submit it, and follow up until a determination is issued.
You receive payment
The state pays the recovered funds to you directly (or to us for disbursement, depending on the state). Our invoice follows — only after money is actually in your hands.
Compensation
Our fee, stated plainly
Capped at 10% of whatever we recover for you. In California, finder's fees are limited to exactly that by law.
- No upfront cost — ever.
- No hourly billing, no expense charges.
- If there is no recovery, there is no fee.
- You keep at least 90% of every dollar recovered.
The exact percentage applicable to your claim will be stated plainly in our written agreement before anything is signed.
Transparency
You can absolutely do this yourself
Every state maintains a free public database of unclaimed property, and filing a claim costs nothing. Many people do it successfully on their own, and most states participate in the multi-state search site MissingMoney.com. We encourage everyone who receives a letter from us to check those databases first.
So why do clients hire us? Because locating everything you're owed is harder than it sounds: assets listed under old names or addresses, spread across multiple states, tied to deceased relatives' estates, or held by holders whose records don't match the state's. Claims involving businesses, estates, securities, or mineral rights often require specific documentation that first-time filers frequently get wrong — and a denied claim can take months to straighten out.
We'd rather earn your business by being straightforward than by implying the state hides this information. It doesn't — it just doesn't make it easy.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is this legitimate? How do I know this isn't a scam?
Fair question — and one you should ask anyone contacting you about money. We never ask for bank account numbers, Social Security numbers, or any payment upfront. All of our work is done under a written agreement, and you can independently verify any property we report by searching the relevant state's official unclaimed property website before signing anything. We are paid only after you receive your funds.
How did you find my name?
State unclaimed property databases are public records. We regularly review them and match entries against publicly available data — property records, business filings, and similar sources — to locate the owners of reported assets. Receiving a letter from us means a state is holding property reported under your name or a close variation of it.
How much is my unclaimed property worth?
States often report only a range (for example, "$100 or more") until a claim is verified. Once we confirm ownership and you engage us under a written agreement, we tell you exactly what the state is holding before the claim is filed.
Does the money expire if I don't claim it?
No. States hold unclaimed property indefinitely and remain obligated to return it to the rightful owner or heirs at any time. There is no deadline pressure — though unclaimed securities can be liquidated by the state and held as cash, and safe deposit box contents may be auctioned after a holding period (with proceeds still preserved for you).
What does "escheat" mean?
Escheat is the legal transfer of unowned or abandoned property to the government. In the context of unclaimed property, it refers to holders (banks, insurers, employers) turning dormant assets over to the state, which then holds them for the owner until claimed.
Can you recover property for a deceased relative?
Often, yes. Heirs and estate representatives can claim property belonging to deceased family members, but the documentation requirements are more involved — death certificates, estate or probate documents, and proof of relationship. This is a common area where professional preparation saves significant time.
Can you help businesses and organizations?
Yes. Companies frequently have unclaimed property from old vendor credits, uncashed refunds, closed accounts, and dissolved entities. We also assist with multi-state searches for companies that operated in several jurisdictions.
How long does a claim take?
Most states respond within 30 to 90 days of receiving a complete claim package. Complex claims — involving estates, missing documentation, or multiple holders — can take longer. We follow up throughout and keep you informed of the status.
Contact
Talk to us
Have questions about a letter you received, or want us to run a preliminary search? Reach out — the initial consultation is free and carries no obligation.
Email
office@escheatadvisors.com
For your protection: we will never ask for sensitive financial information over the phone or email before a written agreement is signed.