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Unclaimed Property in Georgia

Locate GA unclaimed property to use in your business

By Emmet McMahan
A court may classify unclaimed property in Georgia as abandoned, lost or mislaid. These classifications have their origins in common law and can therefore be difficult to interpret under modern legal systems. Property that the original owner fails to claim after a specified number of years generally belongs to the finder. However, a property owner usually has a superior claim to property that a trespasser discovers.

There are specific forms and procedures to follow when claiming Georgia unclaimed property. Generally, the state serves as the custodian for abandoned property in Georgia until the appropriate agencies review and approve the finder’s claim. Companies frequently lose property through misfortune or carelessness. Unclaimed property can be an inexpensive way to obtain equipment for your business.

There are general types of Georgia state unclaimed property:

1. Liquid assets such as a dormant bank account, safe deposit contents, unclaimed deposits or refunds, uncashed checks and unused insurance benefits;

2. Abandoned property the original owner is unlikely to return to claim. Certain property such as wrecked cars, ships or aircraft may belong to the state;

3. Property confiscated by law enforcement or repossessed by a loan company. These items are frequently auctioned off to the public.

 

Find agencies that handle state of Georgia unclaimed property

Beware of sites that charge you a fee to help you find contact information for the Georgia unclaimed property division. This information should be available from your state government at no charge.
Try: Sign up to use the National Unclaimed Property Database for free. It offers a search on both federal and state agencies. The Georgia Department of Revenue keeps a database of unclaimed property that is searchable by name and city.

Participate in a Georgia unclaimed property auction

Most states have their own auctions to allow prospective buyers to bid on unclaimed or otherwise abandoned property.
Try: PropertyRoom.com auctions property seized by law enforcement agencies across the country. SeizedLuxuryHomes.com allows you to search for seized homes by zip code. You may bid on these homes at local or online auctions.

Search for abandoned property in Georgia for your county

Some counties in Georgia have a department that attempts to reunite unclaimed property with its owner. This department can answer specific questions regarding lost or abandoned property.
Try: Gwinnett County maintains a list of customers are due a refund on their water bill. You can download a list of people who are owed unclaimed funds in Douglas County from the county website.

 

  • The process of turning over unclaimed property in Georgia to the state is called escheatment. In business, Georgia escheat is most commonly an unclaimed pay check and each company must file an unclaimed property report. The company must also make a good faith effort to find the owner.
  • Unclaimed property in Georgia that the owner deliberately hides or conceals may be a treasure trove instead of abandoned property. Georgia property must remain concealed long enough for the owner to be dead or undiscoverable. A treasure trove may belong to the finder or the property owner.

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