Frequently Asked Questions

When a real estate property goes through a foreclosure or tax sale auction, the bidding often reaches an amount higher than the outstanding debt or unpaid taxes. The extra money left over after satisfying the original judgment is called a surplus fund (or excess proceeds). By law, these funds belong to the former property owner.

Local courts and county treasurers hold millions of dollars in unclaimed auction proceeds in state registries. While they hold the money, government offices rarely track down former owners who have relocated. Unless an official claim motion is formally filed, these funds sit dormant in county accounts and may eventually revert to the state.

If you previously owned a property that was sold at a foreclosure or tax sale auction, there may be surplus funds in your name. We monitor court records across Georgia and Tennessee to identify these cases. If we've reached out to you, it's because our research indicates funds may be available. During your free consultation, we'll verify all the details.

Yes. In Georgia, former property owners have 5 years from the date of the tax sale to file a claim. In Tennessee, the deadline is 10 years. After that, the funds may permanently revert to the state. This is why timely action matters.

Zero. We operate strictly on a contingency basis. We cover 100% of the research, skip tracing, administrative fees, and attorney expenses required to file the court claim. You pay nothing out of pocket. We only collect a fee (typically 15% to 20%) if and when we successfully recover and deliver your funds.

A contingency fee means our payment is contingent on — dependent on — successfully recovering your money. If we don't recover anything, you owe us nothing. Our fee (15-20% of the recovered amount) is only deducted after the funds have been released by the court. This model ensures our interests are completely aligned with yours.

Transparency is our priority. Before signing anything, we provide you with the exact court case number, the county holding your money, and the documented surplus balance on record. We never ask for bank routing details, up-front retainer fees, or wire transfers. All disbursements are handled securely through a licensed real estate attorney's state-monitored IOLTA trust account.

No. Our team coordinates directly with local real estate attorneys in your property's jurisdiction. They prepare all required motions, handle court filings, and represent the claim in front of the judge on your behalf. You simply review and sign the recovery authorization form digitally.

The timeline ranges from 30 to 90 days from the day you sign the recovery agreement. The exact speed depends on county processing times, statutory notice periods (often 30 days by state law), and court hearing schedules.

Just three things: 15 minutes for a phone call (your free case review), a copy of your government-issued photo ID (to verify your identity as the former owner), and your digital signature on the recovery authorization form. We handle everything else.

IOLTA stands for Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts. It's a state-regulated account that attorneys use to hold client funds securely and separately from their own money. When the court releases your surplus funds, the money goes into this protected account before being disbursed to you. It's the same system used by law firms across the country.

We currently serve former property owners with surplus funds held in Georgia and Tennessee courts. These two states have favorable surplus fund laws, high auction volume, and accessible court records. We plan to expand to additional states in the future.