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Unclaimed Funds

Unclaimed funds are funds held by the Court for an owner or recipient who is entitled to money, but who has not claimed ownership.  Most unclaimed funds arise when dividends (assets) are distributed by the case trustee to creditors pursuant to settlement of a bankruptcy case, but the property goes unclaimed.  Unclaimed funds may arise out of a trustee being provided with incomplete or outdated address information for the recipient.  Any party desiring to retrieve unclaimed funds may do so by following the directions contained in the Instructions document and filing the forms listed here:

Instructions for filing an Application for Payment of Unclaimed Funds
Application for Payment of Unclaimed Funds (PDF Version)
Order for Payment of Unclaimed Funds
Form AO-213P: Request for Payee Information and TIN Certification (fillable PDF)
Form AO-213: Vendor Information and TIN Certification (fillable PDF)

The following information must be provided in support of the application: copy of a valid government-issued photo ID of the party entitled to the funds and proof of notice to the U. S. Attorney. The Court will not accept any documents which appear to have been altered in any material way. Documentation should include original signatures and should not be on facsimile paper. Additional documentation may be required under certain circumstances (eg., original creditor has merged with another entity, etc.).

Questions regarding unclaimed funds retrieval procedures should be directed to Diana Durkee August, Chief Deputy Clerk, at (314) 244-4602.

To search for Unclaimed Funds for the Eastern District of Missouri, click here to obtain access to the U.S. Bankruptcy Unclaimed Funds Locator national database.  New features of the U.S. Bankruptcy Unclaimed Funds Locator can be found here.  To search for unclaimed funds held by the State of Missouri, click here to obtain access to the Missouri State Treasurer’s unclaimed property site. Direct all questions concerning funds held by the State of Missouri to the Missouri Treasurer’s Office at (573) 751-0123.

The Committee on the Administration of the Bankruptcy System of the U.S. Judicial Conference established a task force to streamline unclaimed funds processes and create standardized procedures to assist applicants in retrieving unclaimed funds.  If you have any comments or suggestions on how to make the retrieval process more efficient as an applicant, the Judiciary welcomes your suggestions.  Please use the following link to provide a comment (click here).