$90 million in unclaimed funds

As executive director of the BC Unclaimed Property Society, Levitz oversees some $ 90 million is looking for a home. He has accumulated cash as part of the claimed sequences or was still in the bank and investment accounts. Also deposits forgotten property, unpaid wages and collection also includes, she said.

"It's always nice to meet people with their money," said Levitz, a lawyer. "It's really, really fun when it comes to an older person and they can really use the money." Last year, the company took money from a pension with $ 110 000. In a recent case Levitz gave a. $ 300,000 check to a person who had won a lawsuit in court more than 10 years

People can search by name unclaimedpropertybc.ca to see if they have unclaimed money. The company verifies the identity through the personal information.

The company, founded in 2003, took over the government of British Columbia Act claimed property by the provincial Ministry of Finance. He paid $ 5 million in claims since Levitz said. Vancouver Foundation receives a portion of unclaimed money a year to its programs. The good news is that there is no statue of limitations on unclaimed money. The oldest pending claim is a question of succession going back to Gold Rush: 1859. The bad news is that claims no interest in this gathering that the 1859 claim would have more than the historical financial interest to all asylum seekers, said Levitz.

Bob Zankoski is about $ 13 000 from an estate by entering the name of a relative in the database. The hospital chaplain who lives in Ontario, had a brother and sister-in-law, who lived in Vancouver. The sister-brother, deceased at 10 or 12 years and left the estate to the Zankoski mother, who does not claim that the money was then deceased. "I made the allegations, we had the approval of the notaries of the will, I will send the letter of approval, and the field is entered," he said. "It really is as simple as that."

Levitz said that four of the company staff (it is currently on maternity leave) at the base of the ICBC, and HealthNet BC OnLine to use to connect people to help with their claims. The letters are then sent to those suspected of unclaimed property. The company “always preferred" to deal with applicants directly Levitz said, but he has received requests from third parties attempting to collect a tax on transactions, especially in matters of succession.

"There are people who are looking for unclaimed estates and heirs and the heirs are trying to register for a percentage of the estate if they think they can try to contact people," Levitz said. "It's just inevitable in a line of succession work."

The company also helps companies try to solve the unclaimed money. A broker for a long time Vancouver had ended the brokerage company that he had discovered more than 600 dormant accounts with a total value of over $ 640,000. He was able to retire after turning over money and information. The Bank of Canada controls the bank accounts of the federal government has a search for unclaimed funds bankofcanada.ca.