West Virginia Code 36-8-7 – Report of abandoned property
(a) A holder of property presumed abandoned shall make a report to the administrator concerning the property.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 36-8-7
- Administrator: means the State Treasurer. See West Virginia Code 36-8-1
- Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
- Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
- Apparent owner: means a person whose name appears on the records of a holder as the person entitled to property held, issued, or owing by the holder. See West Virginia Code 36-8-1
- Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
- Holder: means a person obligated to hold for the account of, or deliver or pay to, the owner property that is subject to this article. See West Virginia Code 36-8-1
- Insurance company: means an association, corporation, or fraternal or mutual benefit organization, whether or not for profit, engaged in the business of providing life endowments, annuities or insurance, including accident, burial, casualty, credit life, contract performance, dental, disability, fidelity, fire, health, hospitalization, illness, life, malpractice, marine, mortgage, surety, wage protection, and workers' compensation insurance. See West Virginia Code 36-8-1
- Money order: includes an express money order and a personal money order, on which the remitter is the purchaser. See West Virginia Code 36-8-1
- Owner: means a person who has a legal or equitable interest in property subject to this article or the person's legal representative. See West Virginia Code 36-8-1
- Person: means an individual, business association, financial organization, estate, trust, government, governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity. See West Virginia Code 36-8-1
- Property: means tangible personal property described in section three of this article or a fixed and certain interest in intangible personal property that is held, issued, or owed in the course of a holder's business, or by a government, governmental subdivision, agency or instrumentality, and all income or increments therefrom. See West Virginia Code 36-8-1
- Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
(b) The report must be verified and must contain:
(1) A description of the property;
(2) Except with respect to a traveler's check or money order, the name, if known, and last known address, if any, and the social security number or taxpayer identification number, if readily ascertainable, of the apparent owner of property of the value of $50 or more;
(3) An aggregated amount of items valued under $50 each;
(4) In the case of an amount of $50 or more held or owing under an annuity or a life or endowment insurance policy, the full name and last known address of the annuitant or insured and of the beneficiary;
(5) In the case of property held in a safe deposit box or other safekeeping depository, an indication of the place where it is held and where it may be inspected by the administrator, and any amounts owing to the holder;
(6) The date, if any, on which the property became payable, demandable or returnable, and the date of the last transaction with the apparent owner with respect to the property; and
(7) Other information that the administrator by rule prescribes as necessary for the administration of this article.
(c) If a holder of property presumed abandoned is a successor to another person who previously held the property for the apparent owner or the holder has changed its name while holding the property, the holder shall file with the report its former names, if any, and the known names and addresses of all previous holders of the property.
(d) The report must be filed before November 1, of each year and cover the twelve months next preceding July 1, of that year, but a report with respect to a life insurance company must be filed before May 1 of each year for the calendar year next preceding.
(e) The holder of property presumed abandoned shall send written notice to the apparent owner, not more than one hundred twenty days or less than sixty days before filing the report, stating that the holder is in possession of property subject to this article, if:
(1) The holder has in its records an address for the apparent owner which the holder's records do not disclose to be inaccurate;
(2) The claim of the apparent owner is not barred by a statute of limitations; and
(3) The value of the property is $50 or more.
(f) Before the date for filing the report, the holder of property presumed abandoned may request the administrator to extend the time for filing the report. The administrator may grant the extension for good cause. The holder, upon receipt of the extension, may make an interim payment on the amount the holder estimates will ultimately be due, which terminates the accrual of additional interest on the amount paid.
(g) The holder of property presumed abandoned shall file with the report an affidavit stating that the holder has complied with subsection (e) of this section.