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By Dan Mayer Associate Director of Advisory Services Abandoned Property Services, LLC dmayer@apsescheat.net
Presentation Objectives
Refresh the escheatment compliance basics Suggest practices for minimizing liability Consider hot issues in audits, legislation and pending lawsuits
Basic Terminology
Holder The business or any other entity which holds inactive property that belongs to another and is deemed to be presumptively abandoned under state law. (In some case law, the debtor.) In A/P, this is the entity that is the payer of the check. Owner The person or entity to whom the property belongs. (Sometimes this is the creditor.) In the A/P realm, this is the check payee. Escheat In the UP industry, this means delivering or remitting property to the applicable state. Last Activity Date The date of last owner-generated activity. In A/P, the last activity date is the check date. This date is used to determine dormancy and correspondingly, when property is due for reporting and remitting to states. Dormancy Period The period of time property remains inactive before it is presumed abandoned by state law. Dormancy periods differ by property type and state. In A/P, most uncashed checks have a 3 or 5 year dormancy period.
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What
When
3 years (1H*) 3 years (2G) 5 years (1G) 3 years 5 years 3 years 3 years** 5 years 3 years
1H is the NY Code for Consumer Credit Balance **May be exempt under certain circumstances.
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Example - Facts
Yurco Industries (a business that is not a life insurance company) issued a check for $100 in payment to Yursupplier on Feb. 15, 2006. It appears from Yurcos records that Yursupplier has not cashed the check issued on Feb. 15, 2006. Yurcustomers address in Yurcos records is in California (where CK13 vendor checks have a 3-year dormancy period).
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*All of the above must be done within the time frames and/or in the formats/modes required by the various applicable state laws.
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Outsource Services
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Method Letter Content Timing Form or Mode of Delivery Limitations/Exceptions Allowable Deductions
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Disposition of Items (Check the blank next to one of the following.) ____ The above (s) / credit memo was cashed/or applied on ________. ____ Check (s) / credit memo was received but not cashed/applied. (If you still possess the check (s) / credit memo please return it/them along with this letter indicating if you are still entitled to these funds. ____ Check (s) / credit memo is no longer required. There are no outstanding invoices for this amount and the obligation has been satisfied. ____ This check (s) / credit memo was not received and our records indicate the amount is still due. Please issue another check. ____ Other: ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Name: ___________________________ Signature:___________________________________________________________ Address (if different from above)__________________________________________ SSN/Federal ID No. __________________________________ Date: ______________________________________________ Sincerely,
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3. Timing:
a. Generally Not more than 120 days nor less than 60 days prior to the reporting deadline. (1995 Uniform Act, Section 7(e)): AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, ME, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NC, TN, UT, VT, WV, WI b. Within 180 to 365 days prior to filing report: CA c. Not required but recommended: DE*, TX, PA d. Required but no timing specified: IA*, MS, SD, WA *Please see state statute for more details. Time frames for due diligence may change as new legislation is adopted. 4. Form of Delivery: a. Generally No specification in the1995 Uniform Act, Section 7(e), but most states require first class mail. b. Notable exceptions: Iowa - Requires Banks and Financial Institutions only to send due diligence letters by certified mail. New Jersey For items that are greater than $50, the letter must be sent certified mail, return receipt requested. New York - First notice by first class mail within 90 days prior to reporting deadline; second notice by certified mail, return receipt for $1000+ Ohio - Certified mail requirement for items $1000 & greater
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The Report 1. Type - Paper, Diskette, CD, Magnetic cartridge, tape or Internet a. Most states require electronic (diskette or CD) reporting if there are more than 25 items to report b. Note that some states that require electronic reporting also require that a hard copy of the report accompany the electronic report. c. Internet! Some states have on-line reporting. Examples: Massachusetts: https://abpweb.tre.state.ma.us/abp/frmLoginTaxId.aspx First time call: 617-367-0400 x471 or 1-800-647-2300 x 471 New York: First time call: 1-800-221-9311 or email NYSRPU@osc.state.ny.us to get username and password. Texas: https://txcpa.cpa.state.tx.us/unclpropholder/welcomeAction.do?actio n=Holder
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NAUPA II Standard Reporting Format accepted by 44 states. See: www.wagers.net/NaupaSpec/NaupaRevisedStandard.pdf Standard relationship and property type codes listed as well. NY does not use the NAUPA II Format or property type codes. CA accepts the NAUPA II Format see: www.sco.ca.gov/col/ucp/holder/stdnaupa.pdf
3. Negative Reporting - Required by 30 states. Some states permit on-line. Example: Ohio - www.ohiobusinessgateway.ohio.gov negative reporting
4. Aggregate limits Most states have a limit under which the property does NOT have to be reported with name and address detail. Items are combined by property type and reported as an aggregate lump sum. $25, $50, & $100 are usual the limits. Most states do not permit aggregate reporting of dividends or mineral interests.
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The Remittance a. Form Cash (uncashed vendor, dividend and payroll checks, credits,
Record Retention
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1995 Uniform Act (Section 21) a holder required to file a report must maintain the records containing the information required to be included in the report for 10 years after the report is filed. (Drafters notes indicate records are to be kept for 10 year from the date the property was first reportable.) TX Statutes Title 6, Section 74.103 - Holders must maintain records for 10 years after the property was reportable. 2. Records to Retain 1995 Uniform Act (Section 21) Silent on this issue. TX Statute is specific that records maintained must include: (1) the name, the social security number, if known, and the last known address of each person who, from the records of the holder of the property, appears to be the owner of the property; (2) a brief description of the property, including the identification number, if any; and (3) the balance of each account, if appropriate
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AUDITS
Preparing for An Audit Working with the State Considerations Penalty Review
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Latest Developments
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Tennessee - HB 3793 Effective Date: 5/16/2008 - Safeguards the working papers and identity of holders involved in unclaimed property audits. Makes such paper confidential and not public records unless certain circumstances exist. Wisconsin: AB 617 Effective Date: 3/21/2008 The fiscal year is defined to be from July 1st to June 30th for the purposes of the report information cut-off and penalty assessment.
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Over 30 states have statutes that restrict gift card and certificates. Some prohibit dormancy fees and expiration dates. The statutes vary dramatically from each other. Some do not apply to prepaid phone cards, pay cards, or other open system cards that can be used with multiple stores Simon Lawsuits federal preemption for certain cards not subject to state restrictions Newest legislation: Nebraska exempts from the NE unclaimed property law, gift cards or certificates that have no expiration date or dormancy fees. If have such then law applies with a 3 year dormancy period. Does not apply to prepaid cards.
Resources
1. 2. 3. National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) www.unclaimed.org NAUPA II Standard Reporting Format: www.wagers.net/NaupaSpec/NaupaRevisedStandard.pdf 1995 Uniform Unclaimed Property Act Reporting Specifications: http://www.law.upenn.edu/library/ulc/fnact99/1990s/uupa95. txt National Association of State Treasurers (NAST) www.nast.net Unclaimed Property Professionals Organization (UPPO) www.uppo.org Annual Conference March 10 13, 2009 Hyatt Regency Jacksonville, FL
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4. 5.
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