Unclaimed Property

General Information

Under certain circumstances the County Treasurer-Tax Collector may receive unclaimed money from estates of decedents of which have either unknown or unlocated heirs. These monies may be deposited with the County Treasury pursuant to Probate Code Sections 7663 or 11850, et. seq. and may be claimed pursuant to applicable Probate and/or Government Code Section(s). Government Code Section 50050, et. seq. provides that certain unclaimed monies, which remain in the treasury or in the custody of the officers of a local agency for three years, become the property of the agency. At the end of the three-year period, those items in excess of $15 must be published as notification that the money will become the property of the agency after a designated date if it is left unclaimed. Items under $15 need not be published. Escheatment to the general fund occurs if a verified claim is not filed by the designated date 45 days after the date of first publication. After this date, money left unclaimed will become the property of the County and can no longer be claimed. Other unclaimed monies shall be escheated to the State and may be claimed by contacting the State Controller’s Office.

Claim Process

Treasurer-Tax Collector receives periodic receipts from attorneys and the Public Administrator/Public Guardian (PA/PG) for Estates of Deceased with and without heirs. The Treasurer-Tax Collector issues warrants based on court orders. The unclaimed funds are processed through the escheatment process based on probate code. The Estates of Deceased with heirs are held in trust for one year from date of receipt with the Treasurer-Tax Collector. Pursuant to the Civil Code of Procedure 1444 the unclaimed funds are escheated to the California State Controller on a semi-annual basis.

Property unclaimed after a period of five years will become the property of the State of California. The Estates of Deceased without heirs are held in trust for three years from the date of receipt with the Treasurer-Tax Collector. If the funds are not claimed during the holding period, the names of the deceased are published in local newspapers. Pursuant to Probate Code Section 7663, the funds are escheated to the County’s general fund if unclaimed 60 days after the first publication.

Additional information regarding unclaimed property held by the County of Monterey may be obtained by contacting the Auditor-Controller's office at 831-755-5040.

Unclaimed property escheated to the California State Controller must be claimed through their office. The State Controller's unclaimed property website may be accessed at this location LINK

More Information For more information on unclaimed property, please see the following:

• List of Absent Heirs or Claimants filed with Monterey County
• California Government Code
• California Probate Code
• State Controller's Office