177.18
177.18
Notice and publication of lists of abandoned or escheated property. 177.18(1)
(1) Before July 1 of each year, the administrator shall publish on an Internet site maintained by the administrator a notice of the names of persons appearing to be owners of abandoned property. Except as provided in
sub. (1m), the notice shall include the name and last-known address of each person identified in a report filed under
s. 177.17 since the publication of the previous notice. The administrator shall also publish the notice as a class 1 notice under
ch. 985, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which is located the last-known address of the person to be named in the notice. If no address is listed or the address is outside this state, the notice shall be published in the county in which the holder of the property has its principal place of business within this state.
177.18(1g)
(1g) In addition to any notice required under
sub. (1), the administrator shall also publish, in the notice described under
sub. (1), the name and last-known address of each owner of a U.S. savings bond that has been presumed abandoned under
s. 177.135 since the publication of the previous notice.
177.18(1m)
(1m) If the address of a person to be named in a notice under
sub. (1) is outside this state, and if the administrator has entered into an agreement under
s. 177.33 (1) with the state in which the address is located, the administrator may omit the information specified in
sub. (2) with respect to that person from the notice published under
sub. (1).
177.18(2)
(2) A notice under
sub. (1) shall contain all of the following:
177.18(2)(a)
(a) The names in alphabetical order and last-known address, if any, of persons listed in the report and entitled to notice within the county as specified in
sub. (1).
177.18(2)(b)
(b) A statement that information concerning the property and the name and last-known address of the holder may be obtained by any person possessing an interest in the property by addressing an inquiry to the administrator.
177.18(2m)
(2m) For money or other property received under
s. 852.01 (3),
863.37 (2) or
863.39 (1), a notice shall be published at least annually in the official state newspaper and shall include the name of the decedent, the time and place of the decedent's death, the amount paid to the administrator, the name of the decedent's personal representative, the county in which the estate is probated and a statement that the money will be paid to the heirs or legatees without interest, on proof of ownership, if claimed within 10 years from the date of publication as provided in
s. 863.39 (3).
177.18(3)
(3) The administrator is not required to publish notice of any item with a value of less than $50 unless the administrator determines the publication to be in the public interest.
177.18(4)
(4) This section does not apply to sums payable on travelers checks, money orders and other written instruments presumed abandoned under
s. 177.04.
177.19
177.19
Tax return identification of apparent owners of abandoned property. 177.19(1)
(1) Annually, before July 1, the administrator shall notify the department of revenue of the names of all persons appearing to be owners of abandoned property under
s. 177.18 (1). The administrator shall also provide to the department of revenue the social security numbers of the persons, if available.
177.19(2)
(2) The department of revenue shall notify the administrator if any person under
sub. (1) has filed a Wisconsin income tax return in that year and shall provide the administrator with the address of the person that appears on the tax return. The department shall also notify the administrator if any person under
sub. (1) is a debtor under
s. 71.93 or
71.935.
177.19(3)
(3) For any person who is identified under
sub. (2), the administrator shall do all of the following:
177.19(3)(a)
(a) If the person is a debtor under
s. 71.93 or
71.935, the administrator shall first pay to the department from the amount that is owed the person all setoffs against the person's debt under
s. 71.93 or
71.935.
177.19(3)(b)1.1. If the value of the property that is owed the person is $2,000 or less after any setoff is paid under
par. (a), the person is not required to file a claim under
s. 177.24 and the administrator shall deliver the property or pay the amount owing to the person in the manner provided under
s. 177.24 (3).
177.19(3)(b)2.
2. If the value of the property that is owed the person is greater than $2,000 after any setoff is paid under
par. (a), the administrator shall send written notice to the person, informing the person that he or she is the owner of abandoned property held by the state and may file a claim with the administrator for return of the property under
s. 177.24.
177.19 History
History: 2013 a. 308.
177.20
177.20
Custody by state; holder relieved from liability; reimbursement of holder paying claim; reclaiming for owner; defense of holder; payment of safe deposit box or repository charges. 177.20(1)
(1) Upon the payment or delivery of property to the administrator, this state assumes custody and responsibility for the safekeeping of the property. Any person who pays or delivers property to the administrator in good faith is relieved of all liability for any claim which exists or which may arise or be made with respect to the property.
177.20(2)
(2) A holder who has paid money to the administrator under this chapter may make payment to any person who appears to the holder to be entitled to payment. Upon receiving proof of the payment and proof that the payee was entitled to payment, the administrator shall immediately reimburse the holder without imposing a fee or other charge. If reimbursement is sought for a payment made on a negotiable instrument, including a travelers check or money order, the holder shall be reimbursed upon filing proof that the instrument was duly presented and that payment was made to a person who appeared to the holder to be entitled to payment. The holder shall be reimbursed for payment made under this subsection even if the payment was made to a person whose claim was barred under
s. 177.29 (1).
177.20(3)
(3) A holder who has delivered property, including a certificate of any interest in a business association, but not including money, to the administrator under this chapter may reclaim the property if it is still in the possession of the administrator, without payment of a fee or other charge, upon filing proof that the owner has claimed the property from the holder.
177.20(4)
(4) The administrator may accept the holder's affidavit as sufficient proof of the facts that entitle the holder to recover money and property under this section.
177.20(5)
(5) If the holder pays or delivers property to the administrator in good faith and thereafter another person claims the property from the holder or if another state claims the money or property under its laws relating to escheat or abandoned or unclaimed property, the administrator, upon written notice of the claim, shall defend the holder against the claim and indemnify the holder against any liability on the claim.
177.20(6)
(6) For the purposes of this section, “good faith" means that all of the following exist:
177.20(6)(a)
(a) Payment or delivery was made in a reasonable attempt to comply with this chapter.
177.20(6)(b)
(b) The person delivering the property was not a fiduciary then in breach of trust with respect to the property and that the person had a reasonable basis for believing, based on the facts then known to that person, that the property was abandoned for the purposes of this chapter.
177.20(6)(c)
(c) There is no showing that the records pursuant to which the delivery was made did not meet reasonable commercial standards of practice in the industry.
177.20(7)
(7) Property removed from a safe deposit box or other safekeeping repository is received by the administrator subject to the holder's right to be reimbursed for the actual cost of the opening and to any valid lien or contract providing for the holder to be reimbursed for unpaid rent or storage charges and subject to any 3rd-party lien. The administrator shall reimburse the holder from the proceeds remaining after deducting the administrator's selling cost.
177.20 History
History: 1983 a. 408;
2005 a. 253.
177.21
177.21
Crediting of dividends, interest or increments to owner's account. Whenever property other than money is paid or delivered to the administrator under this chapter, the owner is entitled to receive from the administrator any dividends, interest or other increments realized or accruing on the property at or before liquidation or conversion of the property into money.
177.21 History
History: 1983 a. 408.
177.22
177.22
Public sale of abandoned property. 177.22(1)
(1) Except as provided in
subs. (2) and
(4) and
s. 177.225, the administrator, within 3 years after the receipt of abandoned property, shall sell it to the highest bidder in a manner that, in the judgment of the administrator, affords the most favorable market for the property. The administrator may decline the highest bid and reoffer the property for sale if, in his or her judgment, the bid is insufficient. If the administrator determines that the probable cost of sale exceeds the value of the property, it need not be offered for sale. Any public sale under this section held in a city, village, or town in this state shall be preceded by the publication of one notice, at least 3 weeks in advance of sale, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the property is to be sold.
177.22(2)
(2) Securities listed on an established stock exchange shall be sold at prices prevailing at the time of sale on the exchange. Other securities may be sold over the counter at prices prevailing at the time of sale or by any other method the administrator considers advisable.
177.22(4)
(4) Unless the administrator determines that it is in the best interest of this state to do otherwise, he or she shall hold all securities for at least one year before selling them. No person has any claim under this chapter against this state, the holder, any transfer agent, registrar or other person acting for or on behalf of a holder for any appreciation in the value of the property occurring after delivery by the holder to the administrator.
177.22(5)
(5) The purchaser of property at any sale conducted by the administrator under this chapter takes the property free of all claims of the owner or previous holder and of all persons claiming through or under them. The administrator shall execute all documents necessary to complete the transfer of ownership.
177.225
177.225
Escheat of U.S. savings bonds. 177.225(1)
(1) If all of the following conditions apply, the administrator may bring an action for a judgment that a U.S. savings bond, including a U.S. savings bond in the possession of the administrator or a U.S. savings bond that has been lost, stolen, or destroyed, is abandoned and for an order transferring ownership of the abandoned U.S. savings bond to this state:
177.225(1)(a)
(a) The U.S. savings bond has been presumed abandoned under
s. 177.135 for at least one year.
177.225(1)(b)
(b) The U.S. savings bond is subject to the custody of this state as unclaimed property under
s. 177.03.
177.225(1)(c)
(c) At least one year has elapsed since the administrator published the notice required under
s. 177.18 (1g).
177.225(2)
(2) An action under
sub. (1) may be commenced in the circuit court for Dane County or in any county that would be a proper place of trial under
s. 801.50. Subject to
sub. (3), service may be made under
s. 801.11 (1) (c) by publication of a notice published as a class 3 notice under
ch. 985. In determining which newspaper is likely to give notice as required under
s. 985.02 (1), the administrator shall consider the conditions under
s. 177.03 that made the U.S. savings bond subject to the custody of this state as unclaimed property. The administrator may postpone commencing an action under this subsection until sufficient U.S. savings bonds meet the conditions under
sub. (1) to justify the expense of the action.
177.225(3)
(3) If service is made under
sub. (2) by publication of a notice, the administrator shall, before publication of the notice, file with the court an affidavit setting forth the administrator's efforts to locate the owners of each U.S. savings bond subject to the action, and, upon filing of the affidavit, there shall be a presumption that the owners cannot with reasonable diligence be served under
s. 801.11 (1) (a) or
(b). The affidavit shall include all of the following information with respect to the U.S. savings bond:
177.225(3)(a)
(a) A description of the efforts made by the administrator to ascertain the name and last-known address of each person appearing to be an owner of the U.S. savings bond.
177.225(3)(b)
(b) The name and last-known address of each person identified by the administrator as appearing to be an owner of the U.S. savings bond.
177.225(3)(c)
(c) The interest of each unknown person identified by the administrator as appearing to be an owner of the U.S. savings bond.
177.225(3)(d)
(d) A description of the efforts made by the administrator to notify each owner of the U.S. savings bond that the owner may be entitled to claim abandoned property.
177.225(3)(e)
(e) A statement that, based on prior efforts of the administrator to locate or contact the persons appearing to be owners of the U.S. saving bond, the administrator believes that the administrator cannot, with reasonable diligence, serve the owners with notice of the action by personal or substituted service.
177.225(4)
(4) In an action under
sub. (1), if the court finds that the administrator has substantially complied with the provisions of this chapter and that no other person has proven ownership of the U.S. savings bond, the court shall enter judgment that this state has all legal title and interest, including all rights, powers, and privileges of survivorship of any owner, co-owner, or beneficiary, of the U.S. savings bond and that this state owns the U.S. savings bond free of all claims of the owner or previous holder and of all persons claiming through or under them.
177.225(5)
(5) Within 3 years after the entry of a judgment under
sub. (4), the administrator shall file an application with the U.S. department of the treasury to redeem the U.S. savings bond.
177.225 History
History: 2015 a. 309.
177.23
177.23
Deposit of funds. 177.23(1)(1) Except as provided in
sub. (2), the administrator shall deposit in the school fund all funds received under this chapter, including the clear proceeds from the sale of abandoned property under
s. 177.22 and amounts received from the redemption of U.S. savings bonds under
s. 177.225 (5). Before making the deposit, the administrator shall record the name and last-known address of each person appearing from the holders' reports to be entitled to the property; the name and last-known address of each insured person or annuitant and beneficiary; with respect to each policy or contract listed in the report of an insurance company, its number, the name of the company, and the amount due; and, with respect to each U.S. savings bond, the name and last-known address of each owner of the U.S. savings bond and the issue date, face amount, and serial number of the U.S. savings bond. The information recorded by the administrator under this subsection is not available for inspection or copying under
s. 19.35 (1) until 12 months after payment or delivery of the property is due under
s. 177.17 (4) (a).
177.23(2)
(2) The administrator shall deposit in the general fund an amount necessary for the payment of claims under
ss. 177.24 to
177.26 and administrative expenses. Administrative expenses consist of any of the following:
177.23(2)(a)
(a) Any costs in connection with the sale of abandoned property.
177.23(2)(b)
(b) Costs of mailing and publication in connection with any abandoned property.
177.23(2)(d)
(d) Costs incurred in examining records of holders of property and in collecting the property from those holders.
177.23(2)(e)
(e) Salaries of the employees of the office of the state treasurer and the department of revenue that are attributable to the administration of this chapter.
177.24
177.24
Filing of claim with administrator. 177.24(1)(a)(a) Any person, except another state, claiming an interest in any property paid or delivered under this chapter may file with the administrator a claim on a form prescribed by the administrator and verified by the claimant.
177.24(1)(b)1.1. Subject to
subd. 2., any person, except another state, claiming an interest in any property that is reported to the administrator under
s. 177.17 and that is in the form of amounts credited under
s. 20.912 (1) to the support collections trust fund or amounts not distributable from the support collections trust fund to the persons for whom the amounts were awarded may file a claim with the administrator, after December 1 following the report, on a form prescribed by the administrator and verified by the claimant.
177.24(1)(b)2.
2. A person who, on behalf of the owner of property reported to the administrator under
s. 177.17, enters into an agreement under
s. 177.35 to locate, deliver, recover, or assist in the recovery of the property shall include a copy of the agreement with the claim filed under this paragraph.
177.24(2)
(2) The administrator shall consider each claim within 90 days after it is filed and may refer any claim to the attorney general for an opinion. For each claim referred, the attorney general shall advise the administrator either to allow it or to deny it in whole or in part. The administrator shall give written notice to the claimant if the claim is denied in whole or in part. The notice shall be given by mailing it to the last address, if any, stated in the claim as the address to which notices are to be sent. If no address for notices is stated in the claim, the notice shall be mailed to the last address, if any, stated in the claim as the address of the claimant. No notice of denial need be given if the claim fails to state either the last address to which notices are to be sent or the address of the claimant.
177.24(3)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), if a claim is allowed, the administrator shall deliver the property to the claimant or pay the claimant the amount the administrator actually received or the net proceeds of the sale of the property, together with any additional amount required under
s. 177.21. If the property claimed was interest bearing to the owner on the date of surrender by the holder, the administrator shall pay interest at a rate of 6 percent per year or any lesser rate the property earned while in the possession of the holder. Interest begins to accrue when the property is delivered to the administrator and ceases on the earlier of the expiration of 10 years after delivery or the date on which payment is made to the owner. No interest on interest-bearing property is payable for any period before December 31, 1984.
177.24(3)(b)
(b) If the administrator allows a claim made under
sub. (1) (b), the administrator shall pay the claimant the amount reported to the administrator under
s. 177.17.
177.24(4)
(4) Any holder who pays the owner for property that has been delivered to this state which, if claimed from the administrator, would be subject to
sub. (3) (a) shall add interest as provided under
sub. (3) (a). The added interest shall be repaid to the holder by the administrator in the same manner as the principal.
177.25
177.25
Claim of another state to recover property; procedure. 177.25(1)(1) At any time after property has been paid or delivered to the administrator under this chapter, another state may recover the property under any of the following circumstances:
177.25(1)(a)
(a) The property was subjected to custody by this state because the records of the holder did not reflect the last-known address of the apparent owner when the property was presumed abandoned under this chapter, and the other state establishes that the last-known address of the apparent owner or other person entitled to the property was in that state and that, under the laws of that state, the property escheated to or was subject to a claim of abandonment by that state.
177.25(1)(b)
(b) The last-known address of the apparent owner or other person entitled to the property, as reflected by the records of the holder, is in the other state and under the laws of that state the property has escheated to or become subject to a claim of abandonment by that state.
177.25(1)(c)
(c) The records of the holder were erroneous in that they did not accurately reflect the actual owner of the property and the last-known address of the actual owner is in the other state and, under the laws of that state, the property escheated to or was subject to a claim of abandonment by that state.
177.25(1)(d)
(d) The property was subjected to custody by this state under
s. 177.03 (6) and, under the laws of the state of domicile of the holder, the property has escheated to or become subject to a claim of abandonment by that state.
177.25(1)(e)
(e) The property is the sum payable on a travelers check, money order or other similar instrument that was subjected to custody by this state under
s. 177.04, the instrument was purchased in the other state and, under the laws of that state, the property escheated to or became subject to a claim of abandonment by that state.
177.25(1m)
(1m) At any time after December 1 following the reporting, under
s. 177.17, of property that is in the form of amounts credited under
s. 20.912 (1) to the support collections trust fund or amounts not distributable from the support collections trust fund to the persons for whom the amounts were awarded, another state may recover the property under any of the circumstances described in
sub. (1) (a) to
(d).
177.25(2)
(2) The claim of another state to recover escheated or abandoned property shall be presented in a form prescribed by the administrator, who shall decide the claim within 90 days after it is presented. The administrator shall allow the claim if he or she determines that the other state is entitled to the abandoned property under
sub. (1) or
(1m).
177.25(3)
(3) The administrator shall require a state, before recovering property under this section, to agree to indemnify this state and its officers and employees against any liability on a claim for the property.
