{"id":129953,"date":"2026-03-05T02:30:29","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T02:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/129953\/"},"modified":"2026-03-05T02:30:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T02:30:29","slug":"culver-introduces-bill-to-strengthen-protections-for-unclaimed-property-owners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/129953\/","title":{"rendered":"Culver Introduces Bill to Strengthen Protections for Unclaimed Property Owners"},"content":{"rendered":"


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HARRISBURG \u2013 Sen. Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-27)<\/a>\u00a0announced she has introduced Senate Bill 1201<\/a> to strengthen oversight and consumer protections related to \u201cfinders\u201d who offer to recover unclaimed property for a fee. Culver\u00a0 said the proposal will help protect Pennsylvanians from unnecessary charges while maintaining the option to use a finder.<\/p>\n

\u201cPennsylvania has made it easier than ever for residents to reclaim property held by Treasury at no cost through programs like the Pennsylvania Money Match<\/a>,\u201d Culver said. \u201cThis bill adds safeguards so families have clear information and stronger protections before agreeing to pay a finder\u2019s fee.\u201d<\/p>\n

Culver said the issue recently could have cost a couple in her district who received a letter from an out-of-state entity offering to help recover unclaimed property for a percentage fee. After they contacted Culver\u2019s district office, staff helped confirm they had unclaimed property on file with Treasury and guided them through the process to file a claim directly at no cost. The couple later shared that the claim resulted in nearly $12,000 being returned to them, allowing them to avoid a potential finder\u2019s fee that could have been close to $1,800 under current law.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt Treasury, we are setting new benchmarks every year by returning more unclaimed property to Pennsylvanians than ever before \u2013 a testament to our unwavering commitment to serve the people of our Commonwealth and get this money back into the right hands,\u201d Treasurer Stacy Garrity said. \u201cI am deeply grateful for Senator Culver\u2019s leadership in introducing legislation that brings meaningful enhancements to our program, raising the standards for finders and making sure property owners receive what is rightfully theirs without losing a big cut to someone else. I encourage Pennsylvanians to contact Treasury or their local legislators directly to claim their funds for free.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bill would update Pennsylvania\u2019s unclaimed property law by:<\/p>\n

Requiring finder registration, including a national criminal history background check and sworn compliance with ethical standards.
\nExpanding disqualifying offenses and increasing penalties for violations.
\nRequiring written agreements that clearly disclose owners can claim property directly from Treasury at no cost.
\nReducing the cap on finder fees from 15% to 10%.
\nDirecting Treasury to maintain an online database of registered finders and provide a sample agreement for transparency.<\/p>\n

Culver said her office will continue working closely with the Treasurer\u2019s office to ensure residents have reliable information and can claim property without unnecessary costs. The bill has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee for consideration.<\/p>\n

Contact:
Sam Clepper<\/a><\/p>\n

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