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Texas Hold 'Em has taken on an entirely
new meaning. Instead of trying Lady Luck at a gaming table or Lotto
scratch off, Texans have billions of dollars in unclaimed, forgotten
properties held in trust for them by the Texas Comptroller. For De
Leon residents and businesses, the amount is exactly $47,341.17 that
just awaits claiming by the property owners or their heirs.
Over this past weekend, I researched
every single resident and business in De Leon as of close of business
Friday, October 20th who might have Texas holding monies for them.
From a long-dormant bank account to a
forgotten utility deposit or family heirloom in an abandoned safe
deposit box, the state may be holding valuable property that belongs
to you. In today's mobile society, Texans can easily lose track of
uncashed stock dividends, utility deposit refunds, insurance proceeds,
or other cash assets that escape attention. It may be as simple as an
address forward that didn't get processed or a resident passing away
and the assets not listed for the executor. Maybe a business goes
bust, or in the case of Proctor residents, many of their postal
addresses changed.
After holding the unclaimed asset for
four years, the holder (bank, insurance company, utility company,
wildcatter) of your money passes it to the State of Texas Comptroller
for holding in trust until claimed. Once claimed, and proper proof of
right to the property is presented, your money is returned to you.
Processing takes 60-90 days; sometimes shorter, sometimes longer.
Monies due De Leon citizens range from a
dividend check in the amount of a penny, up to $3,247 for one person
or heirs. The largest business having property held is De Leon ISD,
followed closely by the old De Leon Clinic and Hospital.
It's been fun and instructive to peruse
surrounding communities. The owners of PAR Village have almost $12,000
due them. It appears that when residents of Proctor had their postal
addresses changed to Comanche, many of their checks got lost in the
shuffle.
I'm not presenting this information for a
fee or expectation of any compensation. Since my wife and I are new to
De Leon, I thought this would be a gesture to my fellow residents.
After all, it's my neighbor's money, and I thought they'd like a
Christmas windfall.
Texas charges a small fee for processing
these unclaimed properties. For amounts of $100 to $5,000, 1%; amounts
over $5,000, 1 1/2 %. No fee for claims less than $100 is assessed.
Texas law also requires that a professional fee-finder representing a
claimant can charge no more than 10% of the property value. Further,
the third-party must be licensed, bonded, and insured by the Texas
Department of Public Safety, as a Class A Private Investigator.
This doesn't appear to be necessary for
attorneys or executors representing an estate.
Claims may be filed on-line by contacting
the Texas Comptroller at
https://txcpa.cpa.state.tx.us/up/Search.jsp
Type in the last name or business name,
then first name, and city, search, and click if eligible to claim. If
you prefer to call or write, you will need to provide the owner's
name, all current and previous Texas addresses, a social security or
taxpayer identification number. If calling, a limit of three names per
call.
The address is Texas Comptroller of
Public Accounts, Unclaimed Property Division, PO Box 12019, Austin, TX
78711-2019, and the phone number is (800)654-3463.
Editor’s note: When Hillier brought
this article in to the Free Press, it was accompanied by a list with
more than 500 names of DeLeon people and businesses who have unclaimed
money -- he even found that our publisher, Jerry Morgan, was owed a
small amount.
Hillier also provided us with a little
information about himself, including the fact that he and his wife,
Jeanne, moved to DeLeon over the Memorial Day weekend.
He said his mother, sister, niece and
nephew live in DeLeon and Desdemona, and that his wife has family in
the Dallas-Fort Worth area. They came to DeLeon from Washington state
by way of California. Jeanne lived in the Fort Worth area more than 25
years, raising six children, two of whom still live there. Their stay
in California was lengthened when Hillier suffered a series of heart
attacks, and Jeanne a massive stroke and heart attack. “But thanks be
to the Lord, Jeanne and I are now in God's country,” Hillier said.
Hillier’s said he has almost 40 years
computer background, as well as stints as a consultant, mortgage
banker, and executive administrative assistant. “I've also been a
syndicated computer columnist and political consultant, so researching
what the government is up to is a hobby of mine.” Lance and Jeanne
bought their house from Woodie and Frances Powell, and currently
reside at 608 S Rusk. Phone 893-5419;
e-mail: lmhilliersr@cctc.net . |
