MISSING / NO KNOWN HEIRS GENERAL INFORMATION
OVERVIEW
The following are two scenarios in which estate monies are deposited with the Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector (TTC):
- MISSING HEIRS
When the heir or beneficiary of an estate cannot be located at the time of the estate distribution (California Probate Code Section 11850 and 11851).
- NO KNOWN HEIRS
When an estate does not have any known heir or beneficiaries AND the court orders for the estate monies to be deposited to the TTC (California Probate Code Section 11900).
If you are acting on behalf of an estate with no known heirs and have been ordered to deposit the monies with the TTC, please submit a certified copy of the order along with a check payable to the TTC to the following address:
Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector
500 West Temple Street, Room 462
Los Angeles, California 90012
Attention: Special Projects Unit
CLAIM
If you believe you have a claim for any of the estate monies on deposit with the TTC, you must follow the claiming procedure outlined in the California Probate Code Section 11854, which states:
- A person may claim money on deposit in the county treasury by filing a petition with the court that made the order of distribution. The petition shall show the person’s claim or right to the property. Unless the petition is filed by the person named in the decree for distribution of a decedent’s estate, or the legal representative of the person or the person’s estate, the petition shall state the facts required to be stated in a petition for escheated property filed under Section 1355 of the Code of Civil Procedure. On the filing of the petition, the same proceedings shall be had as are required by that section, except that the hearing shall be ex parte unless the court orders otherwise.
- If so ordered by the court, a copy of the petition shall be served on the Attorney General. The Attorney General may answer the petition, at the Attorney General’s discretion.
- If the court is satisfied that the claimant has a right to the property claimed, the court shall make an order establishing the right. On presentation of a certified copy of the order, the county auditor shall draw a warrant on the county treasurer for the amount of money covered by the order.
- A claim for money distributed in the estate of a deceased person made after the deposit of the property in the State Treasury is governed by the provisions of Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1335) of Title 10 of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
Once you obtain the order from the court establishing the right to the monies, please submit a certified copy of the distribution order to the following address:
Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector
500 West Temple Street, Room 462
Los Angeles, California 90012
Attention: Special Projects Unit
TRANSFER TO THE STATE
If estates monies with missing or no known heirs remain unclaimed within one year of the deposit with the TTC, the funds will be transferred to the California State Controller’s Office along with its semi-annual report of unclaimed funds from estates of deceased persons with missing or no known heirs.
If you have any questions regarding monies transferred to the State Controller’s Office, please contact:
State Controller’s Office
Unclaimed Property Division
P.O. Box 942850
Sacramento, California 94250-5873
REPORT
To purchase a copy of the TTC’s report of unclaimed funds from estates of deceased persons and/or no known heirs, please send a request via email to PublicRecords@ttc.lacounty.gov or mail a written request to the following address:
Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector
500 West Temple Street, Room 462
Los Angeles, California 90012
Attention: Special Projects Unit
