Vacaville Unclaimed Property

Finding unclaimed money in Vacaville takes a few simple steps. Search the California State Controller database first. It holds over $11 billion from across the state. Then check Solano County for local funds. The county keeps unclaimed property from tax refunds and estates. The City of Vacaville publishes escheatment notices each year for city funds. All three sources are free to search with no claim deadline. Most people find money they forgot about from old jobs, closed accounts, or moved addresses. Start your search today and check under all names you have used while living in Solano County.

State Controller Unclaimed Property Database

The California State Controller manages the largest unclaimed money program. Over 49 million properties wait to be claimed. These come from banks, employers, insurance firms, and other holders across the state. A bank account with no activity for three years must be reported. Unpaid wages get sent after one year. Stock dividends go after three years of no contact. The controller keeps these funds safe until you claim them.

You can search right now at ucpi.sco.ca.gov/en/Property/SearchIndex for free. Type your name in the search box. Results appear instantly. Each entry shows who sent the money, what type it is, and roughly how much. Click on a match to learn more. The site tells you if you can file online or need to mail a paper claim. Most simple claims are done electronically in minutes.

Small claims are easiest. Amounts under $1,000 can usually be filed online with just basic ID. Upload a photo of your California driver's license. Fill in your current address. Sign the electronic form. Submit and wait for review. The state processes most cash claims in 30 to 60 days. You get a check in the mail if approved. No fee is charged for this service in Vacaville.

Larger claims need notarization. Any claim of $1,000 or more must be signed by a notary public. Print the Claim Affirmation Form from the website. Complete it. Take it to a notary with your ID. The notary stamps and signs it after verifying your identity. Then mail the notarized form with copies of ID to Sacramento. Complex claims with heirs or securities can take up to 180 days to process.

Solano County Unclaimed Funds

Vacaville sits in Solano County. The county treasurer runs its own unclaimed property program. Solano County holds funds from old warrants that were never cashed. A warrant is a county check. When you get a tax refund or other payment from the county, it comes as a warrant. If you do not cash it within six months, it becomes stale. After three years, the county can take ownership under state law.

The county also keeps money from estates of people who died without heirs. When someone passes away with no will and no family comes forward, their assets go through probate. If no one claims the estate, it escheats to the county. Years later, distant relatives may discover they have a claim. The county will pay if you prove your relationship to the deceased.

Check the Solano County program at solanocounty.com treasurer unclaimed money for information. The county treasurer maintains a trust fund for unclaimed monies. Call (707) 784-6295 to ask if they hold money in your name. The county does not charge a fee to claim your funds. File directly with the treasurer office to avoid unnecessary costs.

California Government Code 50050-50057 allows counties to escheat dormant funds. But these laws also protect your right to claim anytime. Even if Solano County took ownership years ago, you can still file a claim. There is no deadline to get your money back from the county treasurer.

City of Vacaville Escheatment Program

The City of Vacaville publishes annual escheatment notices for unclaimed money. These notices list people and businesses with uncashed city checks or deposits. Utility refunds are common. When you close a water or trash account and move, the city should refund your deposit. If the check gets mailed to an old address and comes back, the city holds it for you. After a waiting period, they publish your name in a notice.

Visit cityofvacaville.gov escheatment notice to see current lists. The city finance department posts these online and in local papers. Look for your name or business name. If you find a match, contact the finance office at (707) 449-5450. They will tell you what documents to bring or mail. Most cities need proof of identity and a signed claim form. No fee applies when you claim from the city.

Cities often send unclaimed funds to the state after holding them locally for a few years. So if Vacaville transferred your money to Sacramento, you will find it in the State Controller database instead. Always search the state system first since it covers the most ground. Then check county and city sources to be thorough in your search.

How Property Becomes Unclaimed

Code of Civil Procedure Section 1513 sets the rules for when property escheats. Different types of property have different waiting periods. Bank accounts go dormant after three years with no activity. No deposits, no withdrawals, no contact. The bank must try to reach you first. They send letters to your last address. If mail comes back or you do not respond, they wait out the full three years. Then they report the account to the state.

Wages and paychecks have a shorter timeline. Employers must turn over unpaid wages after just one year. This includes final paychecks you never picked up, expense reimbursements sent to old addresses, and commission payments that were never cashed. Even a small paycheck from a job you left years ago may be waiting at the state controller office in Sacramento.

• Bank accounts become unclaimed after three years of no activity or contact
• Payroll checks and wages go to the state after one year
• Stock dividends and bond interest transfer after three years
• Insurance proceeds from life policies when beneficiaries are not found
• Utility deposits not refunded within three years after service ends
• Money orders become unclaimed after seven years from issue date
• Traveler's checks take 15 years before they escheat to California

Holders must file annual reports. Most businesses report in November and send funds to the state in June. Life insurance companies report in May and remit between December 1 and 15. This schedule means new property gets added to the database twice per year. Your name might appear in a future update if a Vacaville business just reported it to the controller.

How to File a Claim in Vacaville

Begin at sco.ca.gov/search_upd.html to access the state database. Enter your full legal name as shown on your ID. Search different ways. Try first and last name only. Try your middle initial. If you got married and changed your name, search your maiden name too. Look up family members who may have passed away. You can claim on behalf of estates if you are an heir or executor.

When you find a match, click on it for details. The site will show if online filing is available. Most claims under $1,000 qualify. You upload a clear photo of your driver's license or state ID card. Fill in your current mailing address where you want the check sent. Review the information. Sign electronically. Submit the claim. The state removes the property from public view once they receive your claim to prevent duplicates while reviewing yours.

Larger amounts require paper filing with a notary. Claims of $1,000 or more need a notarized signature. Print the Claim Affirmation Form from the controller website. Fill out all sections. Sign it in front of a notary public. The notary checks your ID and stamps the form. Mail it with copies of your ID to Chief, Unclaimed Property Division, P.O. Box 942850, Sacramento, CA 94250-5873. Processing takes longer for notarized claims but most finish within 60 to 120 days.

Claiming for deceased family takes extra steps. You need the death certificate of the person who owned the property. If you are the spouse or child, send proof of relationship like a marriage license or birth certificate. Small estates under $166,250 can use a Declaration Under Probate Code 13101 instead of full probate. Larger estates need Letters of Administration or Letters Testamentary from a California probate court. The controller provides forms to help with heir claims.

Note: The state charges zero fees to search, file, or process unclaimed property claims in California.

Additional Unclaimed Money Sources

Some unclaimed funds do not go to the State Controller. Pension systems handle retirement money separately. CalPERS manages unclaimed benefits for public employees. If you worked for a city, county, or state agency, search calpers.ca.gov unclaimed property for pension funds. CalSTRS handles teacher retirement at calstrs.com/unclaimed-property if you worked in California schools.

State tax refunds stay with the Franchise Tax Board. If you never cashed an income tax refund check, call 800-852-5711. They reissue checks that are over six months old. Refunds under three years are processed quickly. Older refunds need Form 3900A or 3900B and can take up to 18 months to complete through the state bureaucracy.

EDD holds unclaimed unemployment and disability benefits. If you had UI or SDI payments deposited to a closed account or sent to an old address, you can claim them now. File Form DE 903SD with the Employment Development Department. No filing fee is required since 2016. Call 1-800-300-5616 for unemployment or 1-800-480-3287 for disability benefit questions related to Vacaville claims.

Life insurance policies may be located through the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator. This national database at eapps.naic.org/life-policy-locator helps find policies when a family member dies. If you think they had life insurance but do not know the company, submit a request. The system searches participating insurers. California Department of Insurance offers help at 1-800-927-4357 for consumer questions.

Unclaimed Money Near Vacaville

Other cities in the region also maintain unclaimed property programs. Check these nearby cities if you lived or worked in them:

• Vallejo - Solano County seat to the south
• Fairfield - Neighboring city in Solano County
• Sacramento - State capital to the northeast
• Davis - Yolo County city to the north

Visit the Solano County page for county-level programs that cover Vacaville and all other cities in the county.