Rialto Unclaimed Funds

People in Rialto can find unclaimed money by searching the state database at no cost. The California State Controller holds billions in lost property waiting for owners to file claims. This includes old bank accounts, forgotten paychecks, insurance refunds, and utility deposits that businesses turned over to the state. San Bernardino County also keeps records of tax sale excess funds and unclaimed estates. Most searches take just a few minutes online. You can file claims directly without using a paid service or investigator. There is no deadline to claim your property once it reaches the state.

California Unclaimed Property Search

The main way to search for unclaimed funds in Rialto is through the State Controller's database. Visit ucpi.sco.ca.gov to start your search. You can look up property by your name or the name of a business. The database shows all property that banks, employers, insurers, and other holders reported to California.

Search results tell you the property type and when it was reported. You can see who turned it over to the state. There is no fee to search or file a claim. If you lived in Rialto when a business lost touch with you, your property might be listed under this city. The state keeps your funds safe until you claim them.

Most property becomes unclaimed after three years of no contact. Wages and salaries escheat after just one year. Money orders take seven years. Travelers checks need fifteen years. Once property reaches the state, there is no time limit to file a claim.

Property types you might find in a Rialto search include bank accounts, payroll checks, stock dividends, insurance proceeds, and utility deposits. Safe deposit box contents also get turned over to the state if the owner cannot be found. Court deposits and escrow accounts show up in the database too. If a business owed you money and could not locate you, the funds likely went to the state after the dormancy period expired.

Filing Claims from Rialto

When you find property that belongs to you, the next step is to file a claim. Go to sco.ca.gov and search for your property. Select it from the results. The system will tell you if you can file online or need to mail paperwork. Many simple claims can be filed electronically through the state portal.

For claims that need mailed documents, download the Claim Affirmation Form from your search results. Fill it out and sign it. If the claim is $1,000 or more, you must get your signature notarized. All security claims and safe deposit box claims need notarization no matter the value. Send proof of your identity such as a copy of your driver's license. Include proof that you owned the property or have the right to claim it.

Common documents for Rialto claims:

• Photo ID from the state or federal government
• Social Security card or proof of your number
• Proof you lived at the address when property was lost
• Death certificate if filing for someone who passed away
• Marriage license or divorce decree for name changes
• Business registration if claiming for a company

Send your completed claim to Chief, Unclaimed Property Division, P.O. Box 942850, Sacramento, CA 94250-5873. Processing takes 30 to 60 days for simple cash claims. Complex claims with multiple owners or heirs can take up to 180 days. Security claims usually process within 120 days but some take longer. The state will mail you a check once your claim is approved. Call 1-800-992-4647 with questions about the claim process.

Note: You do not need to hire anyone to file a claim for you from Rialto.

San Bernardino County Programs

Rialto is in San Bernardino County. The county has its own unclaimed property tax refund program. Visit sbcounty.gov to search the county database. This covers refunds from property tax overpayments and duplicate payments. It also includes money from reduced assessments.

If the county sold a tax-defaulted property for more than what was owed, the excess goes into a holding fund. Former owners or people with a legal claim can file for these proceeds. This is separate from the state unclaimed property program. Contact the San Bernardino County Auditor-Controller-Treasurer-Tax Collector if you find your name on a county list.

County unclaimed funds come from several sources in areas like Rialto. Property tax refunds happen when someone pays too much or the assessor lowers a value retroactively. Estates of deceased persons without heirs also end up in county hands. Uncashed county warrants over six months old get added to the list. Government Code Section 50050 governs how counties handle this money. After three years and proper notice, the funds can escheat to the county general fund unless someone files a claim.

Public Employee Retirement Searches

If you worked for a public agency in Rialto or anywhere in California, check CalPERS and CalSTRS for unclaimed benefits. These systems are separate from the main state unclaimed property database. CalPERS covers most public employees. CalSTRS covers teachers and school staff.

Search the CalPERS unclaimed property database at calpers.ca.gov. If you find a match, call 888-225-7377 to get a claim form. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can also mail questions to CalPERS Member Account Management Division, P.O. Box 942704, Sacramento, CA 94229-2704.

CalSTRS handles teacher retirement accounts. Visit calstrs.com to learn about their unclaimed funds. Call 800-228-5453 or 916-414-1099 with questions. Teachers who left the profession before retirement often forget to withdraw their contributions. If you taught in Rialto schools and moved on to another career, you might have unclaimed CalSTRS funds waiting for you.

These retirement systems create unclaimed accounts when members leave public employment without claiming refunds. Survivor benefits also go unclaimed if family members do not know about them. Retirement benefits from a deceased member can sit for years if heirs never file. Check both systems if you or a family member ever worked in public service in Rialto.

Lost Life Insurance Policies

Life insurance benefits are a major source of unclaimed money. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners runs a free life insurance policy locator service. Go to eapps.naic.org to search for policies of deceased family members. This tool checks with insurance companies nationwide to see if a policy exists.

California law requires insurers to check the Social Security Death Master File and try to find beneficiaries. If they cannot locate you, they must turn benefits over to the state. Insurance Code Section 10509.940 through 946 covers these rules. You can also call the California Department of Insurance Consumer Hotline at 1-800-927-4357 for help finding a policy.

Many Rialto families discover life insurance money years after a relative passed away. The deceased may have had a small policy through work or bought coverage decades ago that family forgot about. Insurers are supposed to pay benefits when they learn of a death, but sometimes the paperwork gets lost or addresses are outdated. Always search the state unclaimed property database and the NAIC locator if someone in your family died and you think they might have had life insurance.

Unclaimed Tax Refunds

The California Franchise Tax Board holds unclaimed tax refunds for people who never cashed their checks. Refund checks are good for six months. After that, you need to request a new check. If your refund is one to three years old, send a letter with your name, tax year, and the subject line "Old refund check" to the Franchise Tax Board. Processing takes about eight weeks.

Refunds over three years old require a Replacement Warrant Claim form. Use Form 3900A for individuals or Form 3900B for businesses. This process can take up to 18 months. Call the Franchise Tax Board at 800-852-5711 if you need help with an old refund from Rialto.

Uncashed state income tax refunds are common in Rialto. People move and forget to update their address. Refund checks go to an old address and get returned to the state. Some taxpayers do not realize they are owed a refund and never look for the check. Others cash most of their refund but overlook a small supplemental payment. The Franchise Tax Board eventually transfers unclaimed refunds to the State Controller's Unclaimed Property Division, where they become part of the main database you can search.

Unpaid Wages and Benefits

The California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement maintains the Unpaid Wage Fund. This fund holds wages and benefits that the Labor Commissioner collected on behalf of workers but could not deliver. If an employer owed you money and the Labor Commissioner recovered it for you, but you never picked it up, it might be in this fund.

Call the Labor Commissioner's Office toll-free at 833-526-4636 to ask about unpaid wages. You can also check the main state unclaimed property database, because the Division transfers old wage claims to the State Controller after the dormancy period. Many Rialto workers have unclaimed wages from employers who went out of business or violated wage laws. Payroll checks, final paychecks, and court-ordered back pay all end up in the unclaimed property system if workers cannot be found.

Unemployment and disability benefit checks also become unclaimed property. The Employment Development Department holds uncashed UI and DI checks for a time, then transfers them to the state. If you received unemployment benefits while living in Rialto but never cashed a check, search for it in the state database. You can also contact EDD at 1-800-300-5616 for unemployment insurance or 1-800-480-3287 for disability insurance. There is no filing fee for unclaimed wage or benefit checks.

California Unclaimed Property Law

California's unclaimed property law is in the Code of Civil Procedure starting at Section 1500. CCP Section 1500 gives the law its short title. CCP Section 1501 defines key terms like owner, holder, and apparent owner.

CCP Section 1513 sets out when property escheats to the state. Bank deposits escheat after three years. Wages and salaries escheat after one year. Money orders take seven years. Travelers checks take fifteen years. CCP Section 1530 requires holders to file annual reports with the State Controller.

CCP Section 1540 covers how to file claims and how the Controller processes them. The Controller must decide on claims within 180 days. No interest is paid on claims. CCP Section 1576 sets penalties for holders who violate the law. Willful violations are a misdemeanor. Late delivery of property triggers 12 percent interest.

Government Code Section 50050 through 50057 governs unclaimed money held by cities and counties. This is why Rialto and San Bernardino County have their own programs separate from the state. Local agencies must publish notice of unclaimed funds and give people a chance to claim them before the money escheats to the local government.