​ The California government currently holds more than 6.1 billion yuan of unclaimed property, which belongs to approximately 17.6 million individuals or organizations. The state government obtains unclaimed property through California’s “Unclaimed Property Act”. This law requires holders (such as companies, business associations, financial institutions, and insurance companies) to notify the Office of the Auditor General and send them to the The property of customers that cannot be contacted for three years. Usually the owner forgets the existence of the account, or does not leave a new address due to the move, or the forwarding service has expired. In some cases, the owner died and the heir was not aware of the property. Law firms can send letters to remind these individuals and companies to provide application assistance services.

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Apply for qualifications

The Auditor-General’s Office is the only window for inquiring about the reported records of unclaimed property, and the property owners recorded in the database can apply through procedures. The property must be kept in the Auditor General’s Office for more than 12 months before claiming, or it has been published in a newspaper. The property marked as "P" in the search result of the website database is the property that can be claimed if it meets the requirements.

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Application materials

    1. Investigator contract: It is recommended to use the standard contract provided by the Auditor-General’s Office

    2. Online application: When the property value is less than $5,000, you can apply for return through the online system, only the social security number and address of the owner are required

    3. Individual mailing application: claim confirmation form; photocopy of ID card; proof of social security number; proof of having used the notification address

    4. Enterprise mailing application: claim confirmation form; photocopy of ID card; enterprise authorization certificate; enterprise federal employer tax number; current address certificate; certificate of used notification address

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Application fee

The service fee charged by the investigator shall not exceed 10% of the value of the property returned to the owner. The specific figures are specified in the investigator's contract. The only exception is when applying for the owner or heir of County Probated Estates, there is no statutory fee limit. The time period of the application is generally issued within 14 days after the application is submitted successfully.

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Please call 626-802-5085 or 626-802-5083 for free consultation