Contact The Property Owner Advocate

If you are having difficulty resolving your issue through the standard review process, the Property Owner Advocate's Office is available to provide an independent review of your claim.

Due to the large volume of claims being processed, the law allows up to 180 days from the date the State Controller’s Office receives a complete claim package to review all documentation and make a decision on whether or not the documentation supports the claim. Property owner claims that only involve cash may be processed in as little as 30 to 60 days. More complex claims, such as those filed by heirs, those involving multiple owners, or those involving businesses are generally processed within the 180 day period.

After the claim is approved, additional time is required for the payment of claims that involve securities.  Research needs to be done to determine if any corporate activity (such as corporate mergers, acquisitions, stock splits, or dividends), affecting the value of the security, occurred during the period that the security has been held by the state. Please allow an additional 90 to 180 days for this research.

To help get your questions answered or claim issue resolved, please follow the steps below:

  • If you have a question about the notification you received stating that your property may be transferred to the State Controller’s Office, please see About Claiming in the Frequently Asked Questions section.
  • If you have a question about filing a claim, please see Filing Instructions and Required Documentation in the Claim Filing Instructions and Forms section. 
  • If you are inquiring about the status of your claim, please allow approximately 30 days from the date you mailed your package for us to receive and enter your claim into our system. Click here to check the status of your claim.  
  • If you are having trouble verifying the status of your claim, or would like to reach the person who is handling your claim, or have a hardship, you may call the Call Center toll free at (800) 992-4647 or contact them by email. 
  • If you are a business with a question on reporting property, please visit the About Reporting Unclaimed Property section or contact the Reporting Unit by email. 
  • If your question is not answered above please contact the Property Owner Advocate's Office by email.