FISCAL OFFICER SCALISE SEARCHING FOR OWNERS OF $2.2M IN COUNTY UNCLAIMED FUNDS
Akron, Ohio, September 30, 2022 – Summit County Fiscal Officer Kristen M. Scalise CPA, CFE is searching for owners of over $2.2 million in county unclaimed funds. The Fiscal Office will begin sending out Unclaimed Funds Applications to Summit County residents in an effort to help residents claim money that is rightfully theirs.
Fiscal Officer Scalise serves as a trustee of unclaimed funds in Summit County. Unclaimed funds are monies accumulated and owed from transactions performed at county agencies. Funds held at the county level are separate from those held by the State of Ohio. Examples of transactions include overpayments, fees and costs, lost heirs’ accounts, and sheriff sale proceeds. In 2021, the total amount of unclaimed funds paid out to citizens was $241,415.94. The largest amount paid to an individual within the last five years was $95,639.30.
County unclaimed fund amounts of $10 or more are listed in a searchable database online. Visit http://FiscalOffice.summitoh.net and click on the “Unclaimed Funds” link under the heading “Additional Services”. Enter your last name or business name in the search box and wait for the results to appear. Do not press the return button after you enter your name. Owners of unclaimed funds can file their own claim, without using the service of a paid professional finder. The claim form is simple to complete and can be downloaded from the website. Owners are required to submit a photocopy of a valid form of personal identification such as a driver’s license, state identification card, or passport. Claim forms must be signed by the owner and notarized.
County unclaimed funds are held indefinitely and may be claimed at any time, except in cases where the funds are the result of a foreclosure or transfer without a sale. Due to changes to Ohio Revised Code 5721.20, those funds are now held for three years from the date of receipt. If the owner does not claim them within three years, the excess funds are forfeited to the Summit County Land Bank.
Fiscal Officer Scalise is proud to enforce the strictest regulations in the State of Ohio for unclaimed funds. The policies she has set in place protect citizens from predatory third parties and ensure monies are returned to their rightful owners. Summit County has been a leader in unclaimed funds since 2014 when changes to the county charter made it possible to better regulate agreements, remuneration, and recovery of funds.
For questions about unclaimed funds, or to find out if you have funds owed to you, please email fiscalfinance@summitoh.net or call (330)643-2556
